The fight continues!  Tomorrow and Wednesday there will be hearings in Springfield, Illinois regarding the proposed mine site in the sensitive wetland/eagle habitat along the Illinois River.  I will update my share after the hearings!

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Decurrent false aster, sometimes know as false starwort, is a big river floodplain species. Populations of decurrent false aster have declined as wetlands have been drained and converted to agricultural crop production. It is listed ENDANGERED by the state of Missouri and THREATENED by the state of Illinois and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Decurrent false aster grows in wetlands, on the borders of marshes and lakes, and on the margins of bottomland oxbows and sloughs. 

Historically, this plant was found in wet prairies, marshes, and along the shores of some rivers and lakes. Decurrent false aster favors recently disturbed areas and flooding may play a role in maintaining its habitat. Current habitats include riverbanks, old fields, roadsides, mudflats and lake shores. 

I found a good amount of it growing in the field behind the trees along Banner Dike Road. This field is surrounded by a berm; it had beeen flooded until early summer this year, which may have helped the asters. I posted some photos of the lovely Decurrent False Asters in my Photo Album:

http://www.care2.com/c2c/photos/view/53/748817900/Fields_of_Asters_and_Others_Fragile_Landscapes/

Looking at the site where I found the asters on an aerial map on Live Search Maps, I noticed a similar area in the center of the proposed mining site. I felt certain the field contained asters. 

My husband and I took a walk down Prairie Lane Road to the field I'd seen on the map, and yes, it was covered with Decurrent false asters!  I'm talking about an estimated 30 acres of this endangered plant in the center of the proposed mine site!  I have reported this to to Environmental Bureau of the Illinois Attorney Generals office, and I have reported it to the IDNR. I have also updated my petition to the USFWS to include this information. 

Please consider signing my petition to prevent this mining operation on this sensitive piece of land:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/615936766

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/StopMiningBanner

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has issued Capital Resources Development Company permit to operate a surface coal mine on 643.2 acres (Proposed Permit Area) of property south of and adjacent to the Village of Banner.

We believe that the IDNR issued this permit without due consideration of its ecological impact and that, if the mining proceeds as proposed, it will be in violation of Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

We are sending this petition to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to ask them to investigate and stop this mining activity before it destroys sensitive habitat between Banner Marsh State Fish & Wildlife Area and Rice Lake Conservation Area, and area, where Bald Eagles roost in the winter and nest in the spring and summer, where migratory birds, including thousands of Geese, Ducks, Coots, Cormorants, and Pelicans, stop over each spring and fall.

The proposed mining plans include blasting the coal from the ground during the winter months, when eagles would be roosting nearby. The blasting will surely disturb them. Eagles begin their nesting activities in the winter. The blasting at the proposed mining site would surely disturb nesting eagles.

Please help us stop the destruction of Eagle Nesting and Roosting habitat. Sign this petition and then, for even greater impact, send a letter directly to the regional USFWS office:

Field Supervisor: Richard Nelson
e-mail: RockIsland@fws.gov or MidwestNews@fws.gov
1511 47th Avenue
Moline, IL 61265
Phone: 309-757-5800
Fax: 309-757-5807
TTY: 1-800-877-8339

Send the letter certified for even greater impact. Thank you for helping to call attention to this important issue.