Mark Durham Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 Dear Fellow Anglers, This is very BAD NEWS for our Big Sandy Creek, If you're not familiar with the area it's no surprise. I'm giving up a well kept secret here, but these are dire times. We're facing some dark days ahead that may take drastic measures to stop this "Pig Shit Plant" being built and operated. We need your help, your support, your voice. The Creek is a wonder of nature. A beautiful stream that meanders through verdant rolling meadows, and ancient wooded forests. I proudly call it my "Home Water". It's the very reason I joined the ISA when it first started many years ago. It's an awesome and important Smallmouth fishery that flows east to west between Wenona, starting under I39,, and emptying into the IL River near Henry just under and past Rt. 26, in central Illinois. It needs, nay...deserves to be protected. All of the surrounding area, especially those down-stream from the operation to the Illinois River are in jeopardy and peril by this proposed "Mega Hog Farm and it's massive potential for pollution! Please help us Stop this madness! Some things are just more important than, money, corporate greed, and a few jobs...namely, our Health, our Water, our quality of life, this Planet, and not the least...our Smallmouth! Please don't just sit back and shake your heads...Speak up before it's too late! http://www.pjstar.com/article/20140313/News/140319462 Find me on Facebook: (Join the fight...SOS "save our Sandy"!) Durham Outdoors - Photography Thank You! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonn Graham Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 Definitely a resource worth protecting. What a are folks doing right now to help stop the operation? Seems like mega hog farms are popping up everywhere. I have two indoor confinements within a mile from my house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Durham Posted April 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 Well Jonn, At this point we're just spreading the word with posts like this as far, and as fast as we can. Some of the locals are trying to organize and build a movement against this. I'm not sure how much help I can be as I'm on the mend and moving slow right now from the Heart Attack I've had, but they are going to need all the help they can get. Thanks for staying in the know on this, any and all support is appreciated right now. I'll get more info to you as it comes available, so please stay in touch. Take Care (my Cell # 309-361-1404) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonn Graham Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 When did you have your heart attack? I did not know............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Gillio Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 Mark , sorry to hear about the heart problems. Hope you heal up quickly. The Big Sandy is a beautiful stream. I would hate to see it have the problems a giant hog farm could bring. I have seen what can happen when that mess seeps into a stream. Keep us posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rich mc Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 you can start with the idnr on the regional level .maybe contact the group that fought the bos brothers operation , think they called themselves h.o.m.e.s rich mc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Durham Posted April 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Thanks John. Any input you may have, and could forward from seeing this type Hog Farm mess would be appreciated. We've having a meeting very soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Durham Posted April 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Please, anyone with any info on these Mega Hog Farms get with me ASAP! If you've ever fished the Sandy, or have a stream like it in your area that you truly love then you know how worried, and pissed off we are around here, Thanks, Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike domrzalski Posted April 3, 2014 Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Mark, I just sent your comments to a friend that works for the EPA ( feds ) I believe they got involved in the permit process for the proposed facility in JoDavies county that was defeated. I asked him for advice on how you should proceed and who you should talk to. I'll get back to you as soon as I hear from him. I share your concerns. When the CAFO was proposed for JoDavies county it had the potential not only to pollute the ground water but to destroy the Apple River as well. In the late 1980's an ammonia spill in the area of the state park KILLED ALL LIFE IN THE APPLE for several miles. Fortunately it recovered. Wisconsin has had a few stream sections wiped out due to manure runoffs. You may want to do some research in that area to make your case. Generally these facilities generate way too much manure for the land to handle. With a winter like we've had and the ground being frozen for so long where does the manure go ? I think we know. Mike D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Durham Posted April 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2014 Thanks for the help Mike! I'm posting a link to an article about the fish kill on Panther Creek, which is not far from me. I know Jonn G, fishes that pretty little stream, so I'm sure he was aware of this. This is what we could potentially be facing on the Big Sandy if they build this Mega Hog Farm...very sad, and very scary! http://wglt.org/wireready/news/2013/08/04991_HogManureRoanoke_093030.shtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Gillio Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 I believe it was Big Bureau Creek that had a nasty fish kill a few years back from a hog farm in the Princeton area. You may want to check into that one too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Durham Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 These confinement operations have to adhere to some strict state and federal EPA guidelines. I'll see if I can find any helpful information for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Clifford Posted April 22, 2014 Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 From the article: One will be a special-use zoning permit from the county, while the other will be a permit from the Illinois Department of Agriculture, which has more criteria than the county, he added.Read more: http://www.pjstar.com/article/20140313/News/140319462#ixzz2zZJAvxRy What this means is that the county board can vote yay or nay and it doesn't make a difference whatsoever. So long as the IDOA puts a rubber stamp on this (which they will), the process will go forward. The Apple River Gang screwed up by polluting the local stream before they even thought about building anything. They pissed off the EPA and realized they weren't going to get the permits needed to go forward. An agreement was made, and they packed it all up and left. IL laws were actually changed as a result of this case. When they get started with site activities (...and they will), get a helicopter to fly overhead and take photos of every process. I'm not kidding......it's the only way to access a property legally to gather evidence of poor (illegal) environmental behavior. Or wait for somebody else to get on the property and wade through the red tape and corruption.....live photography doesn't lie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick G Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 It is indeed a nice little creek. I did see a few SOS signs in the area while checking it out the other day. I also saw a IDNR yellow sign posting bass fishing regulations. Keep us posted about anything you see in the local press out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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