News Releases

Agreement with Monterey Coal Co. Addresses Groundwater Quality and Provides Public Water Hookups

Springfield, Ill. -- The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan’s office today signed a Covenant Not to Sue Agreement with Monterey Coal Co. that will protect groundwater while benefiting nearby residents of its Albers Mine No. 2.

“This agreement helps protect the Pearl Aquifer while providing $1 million that will enable about 180 rural residents of the area to connect to public water supplies,” said Illinois EPA Director Renee Cipriano.

Monterey has agreed to pay a total of $1 million for the water system improvements, making the first installment today of $425,000. The additional amount will be provided in two more payments within the next 12 months.

The funding will be used to provide rural water main extensions for the Village of Germantown, City of Albers, Village of Damiansville, Carlyle Southwest Public Water District and New Memphis Water District, that are located over the Pearl Acquifer.

It will also fund services lines for the rural residences that will be connected to the mains and pay for replumbing of the residences and proper abandonment of private wells.

The agreement also requires Monterey to install a slurry wall along the southern edge of its refusal disposal areas and operate groundwater extraction wells to prevent off-site migration of groundwater contamination at the mine.

Monterey will also construct and operate a pipeline for transmission of the treated groundwater pumped from the No. 2 Mine site to the Kaskaskia River for discharge.

In March 2001, Illinois EPA issued a Notice of Intent to Pursue Legal Action to refer groundwater quality standards violations to the Attorney General for formal enforcement. Settlement discussions to address the groundwater contamination and fund the expansion of public water supplies near the mine began in July 2001.

“This agreement is a win-win situation for everyone and I would like to thank the legislators who brought this issue to our attention and the residents of the area for their patience while this matter was being resolved,” said Director Cipriano.