Last Friday, local governments banded together to file a complaint with the Illinois Pollution Control Board, calling out Clinton Landfill for planning to dump dangerous chemicals, polychlorinated biphenyls, at its site directly above the Mahomet Aquifer. The underground reservoir provides drinking water for more than 750,000 people. One week later, and here we are — still no progress has been made.

It seems no move has been bold enough in this fight to get wheels turning.

When considering alternatives in this situation, there aren’t many, if any, good solutions. Disposal options — incineration, chemical dechlorination, etc. — are expensive and often counter-productive in terms of environmental effects as they create even more problems. But to knowingly bury PCBs in a landfill directly above a water source for so many people in this state is not a wise decision, even if officials say that the landfill has little to no potential of leaking into the water.

The Daily Herald reported that George Roadcap, a hydrogeologist with the Illinois Water Survey, said beneath the landfill, there is a potential path of leakage from the landfill into the groundwater, and it’s only a short 150 feet away.

We can cross our fingers all we want, but the fact of the matter is, there is the potential that major harm could be done. These chemicals are poisonous, and they have caused cancer.

The Environmental Protection Agency is perhaps at blame here, too. It’s been over a year since local governments began battling the landfill, and citizens are still waiting for an answer. It would seem that in these situations these decisions should be expedited. As Central Illinoisans wait for any definitive answer (while others remain fatefully unaware), the agency continues to sit, as does Clinton Landfill’s brand new facility, which is rearing to go.

More alarming about the issue is that regardless of their choice, many community members have voiced their disapproval of this request by the landfill. In the situation that the EPA did approve the permit, it still seems rather backwards that despite people drinking the water, they have little to no say in the matter. Of course there are public forums and other ways of expressing concern, but in the end, it all comes down to what the EPA determines.

So here comes — but more like came and went — another move. We stand strong behind these government officials who filed the complaint, and we urge those making the final to decision to heed the concerns of Central Illinois governments.