Legislation crafted by State Sen. Chapin Rose to protect the Mahomet Aquifer – the source of drinking water for 500,000 people – was passed by a unanimous vote of the Senate May 21.
House Bill 1326 would subject remediation waste to rigorous scientific testing to ensure that toxic levels of manufactured gas plant (MGP) wastes are not deposited in the Clinton Landfill, which sits on top of the water supply.
“This has been a long time coming, fully protecting our water supply,” Rose said. “The Mahomet Aquifer has been under siege the last couple of years, dealing with the threat of having toxic PCBs placed above it in the Clinton landfill. This legislation adds more protections for citizens in our region and is part of a global package of solutions to this issue.”
In his remarks during the Senate debate of the legislation, Rose honored Piatt County’s Lieb family for their leadership on this issue, specifically Bob and his son, the recently deceased Terry, of Monticello. The Liebs were the first people to raise concerns about this issue over half a decade ago. Upon passage of House Bill 1326, the Senate held a moment of silence in honor of Terry Lieb.
Also passed by the House of Representatives on April 16, House Bill 1326 now heads to Gov. Bruce Rauner for consideration.