2. Are the dump proposals done deals?
Answer: No, Both have legal hurtles to get over but the Fred Barbara/Tom Volini proposal with the City of Kankakee is further along in the process.  ( Update: The Waste Management proposal with the County of Kankakee has been defeated by the incorporation of the Village of Sammons Point.)

3. Is POWER challenging both dump proposals?
Answer: Yes, POWER has a pending case against the Fred Barbara and Tom Volini proposal in Appellate Court and has filed objections with the IEPA with the help of a hydro geologist. POWER has been actively fighting the Waste Management proposal locally and at the Illinois Pollution Control Board level.

4. Do we have to take hundreds of truck loads of garbage daily from the Chicago area to have a dump in Kankakee County for our garbage?
Answer: No. Local government can set a limit on how many tons of garbage can be buried in Kankakee County on a daily basis which coincides with the tons of garbage generated in Kankakee County.

5. Where else can our garbage go?
Answer: For many years Bradley and Momence garbage has been going to dumps in Indiana and Pontiac, Illinois. Garbage rates for these communities are the cheapest in the County. There is no reason why the rest of the garbage generated in Kankakee County can’t go to these same garbage dumps without fee increases. Further more there are many alternative technologies that create energy and other products from garbage that could be located in any of our industrial parks.

6. Are there safer locations within Kankakee County to locate a garbage dump then those being proposed?
Answer: Yes. The Illinois Geological Survey says the safest place in the county for a garbage dump is in the south/west portion of the county. They give many reasons including the fact that the aquifer is much deeper with a thick layer of clay above for protection. Also a location in that area would not be in the immediate water shed of the river.

7. Why all the concern about the safety of the river and the aquifer?
Answer: Thousands of area citizens depend on the river and the aquifer for water. Not to mention the wild life. Garbage dumps have thousands of chemicals dumped together which pose a serious threat to the water supply. It is a well known fact that all garbage dumps leek with time so dumping garbage at a location with the best possible natural barriers to leeks per the Illinois Geological Survey recommendation is the responsible thing to do. Our county already has a very high cancer rate. Why risk making things even worst?

8. Why did  former Mayor Green and former County Board Chairman Kruse push these dump deals? (The Current Mayor, Nina Epstein, is still pushing the Fred Barbara and Tom Volini  proposed  garbage dump.)
Answer: Money. The City and the County stand to collect millions in garbage host fees. Money for growing government and their power base.

9. What can I do to help get these dump proposals stopped or at least located in the safest possible place in the county? (Update: The Waste Management proposal with the County has been stopped by the incorporation of the Village of Sammons Point)
Answer: Attend POWER meetings to get fully informed. Then call your elected officials, friends and neighbors and ask them to get involved in the movement against these dump proposals. Make a tax deductible donation. Volunteer to help with various POWER activities such as fund raising, attending city and county meetings, letter writing campaigns, etc. We must hold our elected officials responsible for their short sighted decision based on money and power to pursue these giant Chicago regional garbage dumps with little regard for the safety of the water supply of this area, our river and aquifer.

10. Where can I get more information?
Attend our meetings. POWER meets the first Tuesday of the month, 5:30 pm at Lydia & Groucho's Coffee Shop & Deli, 150 N. Schuyler Ave. Kankakee, Illinois, 60901 or e-mail dwb70@aol.com.