By Joe Ragusa
SPRINGFIELD – A state senator is sponsoring a few pieces of legislation that he says will help protect sources of drinking water, like the Mahomet Aquifer.
State Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Champaign) said one bill would require the Illinois EPA to create a list of all landfills across the state, both open and closed.
“It’s kind of scary when you think about it,” Rose said. “Some of these (landfills) have been closed for decades. When you think about what was being put in a town dump in the 40’s and 50’s, nobody really thought anything of it.”
Another piece of legislation would require the EPA to test any landfill that sits on top of any main source of drinking water, like the Mahomet Aquifer. A third bill would require landfill owners to regularly disclose any waste, aside from municipal solid waste, dumped at their landfill to the Illinois EPA.
A hearing on the proposals is scheduled for Thursday in the Senate’s Environment and Conservation Committee.
RFD Radio Network contributed to this story.
Joe Ragusa can be reached at joe.ragusa@cumulus.com.
