Category: Illinois

Prairie Research Institute provides millions in direct returns to Illinois’ economy

by Lisa Sheppard, Prairie Research Institute

The Prairie Research Institute (PRI) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has had a positive direct economic impact on Illinois’ economy valued at $667 million for years 2018–2022 and has provided more than 5,300 full-time jobs in the state, according to a recent analysis at a U. of I. research center.

The study, conducted by Sandy Dall’erba, professor in the Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics and cofounder of the Center for Climate, Regional, Environmental and Trade Economics, identified the economic impact of PRI in 2022 values at the national, state, and county levels. PRI provides scientific research, expertise, data, and services to help policymakers, communities, companies, and individuals make sound decisions about our natural and cultural resources.

PRI received an initial investment of $131 million from the State of Illinois and the U. of I., enabling the institute to obtain grants and contracts totaling nearly $300 million over the five-year period. The impact of economic activity creates economic production, employment, labor income, and tax revenues.

At the state level, with an economic impact of $667 million and a total tax impact of $90.4 million at the state, federal, and county levels, each additional dollar spent in PRI returns $5.06 in economic value to Illinois.

At the national level, the economic impact was an estimated $1,071 million, 8,000 full-time jobs created, and tax revenues totaling $130 million. Champaign County also benefited significantly from PRI activities, with a $422.2 million impact on the county economy and 3,869 full-time equivalent jobs.

“This analysis shows that as a high-value institute, PRI has major direct and indirect impacts on the economy of the county, state, and nation,” said Praveen Kumar, PRI executive director. “Our excellence in research innovation, long-term data collection, and service programs reaches way beyond Illinois and the U.S.”

The economic analysis does not include the substantial value of PRI’s scientific expertise in geology, ecology and biologic diversity, archaeology, hydrology and water, weather and climate, pollution prevention, and sustainable energy. The five scientific surveys make up PRI, including the Illinois Natural History Survey, the Illinois State Archaeological Survey, the Illinois State Water Survey, the Illinois State Geological Survey, and the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center.

PRI scientists are addressing some of the most challenging issues of our society. In recent research projects, scientists are exploring ways to store carbon dioxide in geologic features in Illinois, recycle flue gas to feed algae for animal feeds and biofuels, and capture CO2 from the atmosphere. Other projects seek to mitigate risks of natural hazards and disease-borne vectors, combat agricultural pests, address water resource problems and help communities find solutions, and protect ecosystems and cultural resources.  

“PRI is a national leader and a statewide gem,” said Susan Martinis, U. of I. vice chancellor for research and innovation. “From science that protects drinking water in Chicago to massive pilot-scale carbon capture projects funded by the Department of Energy in Springfield, Decatur, and Champaign, PRI has a direct impact on the lives—and the livelihoods—of millions of people across the region and around the globe.”

The report, “The Economic and Fiscal Impact of the Prairie Research Institute (PRI) on the Economy of Champaign County, Illinois, and the Nation” and a summary are available at https://hdl.handle.net/2142/117079.

Media contacts: Lisa Sheppard, sheppard@illinois.edu, 217-244-7270; Sandy Dall’erba, dallerba@illinois.edu, 217-300-2727
news@prairie.illinois.edu

This story was first published on the Prairie Research Institute News Blog. Read the original story.

Plans for a CO2 pipeline in Illinois are on hold

Read the full story from Illinois Newsroom.

Plans for a carbon dioxide pipeline in Illinois have been temporarily halted. Navigator Heartland Greenway LLC has voluntarily withdrawn its Application for a Certificate of Authority to construct the pipeline that would cross through 13 Illinois counties. Navigator said it plans to refile a new application with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) next month, including plans for an additional route.

New Philadelphia National Historic Site established as America’s 424th national park

New Philadelphia National Historic Site has been established as the newest national park to commemorate the history of early 19th century Black pioneers in Illinois. This milestone and several others were achieved after President Biden signed bills into law in recent days that will help preserve places, communities, and previously untold stories that tell a more complete history of our country through the National Park System.  

Located near Barry, Illinois, New Philadelphia is the first town known to be officially registered by an African American. Frank McWorter, once an enslaved man, bought his freedom and the freedom of 15 family members by mining for crude niter in Kentucky caves and processing the mined material into saltpeter, by hiring his time to other settlers, and by selling lots in New Philadelphia, the town he founded. The site became a National Historic Landmark on January 16, 2009. New Philadelphia National Historic Site is now the 424th park in the National Park System.  

The protection of the original town’s location as a national historic site will permanently safeguard it for future generations and help preserve the important stories of Frank McWorter and others from the first African American town in the United States. The National Park Service (NPS) will work to establish a presence at New Philadelphia National Historic Site so that visitors can journey to the park and learn from the legacy of Frank McWorter. 

“We welcome New Philadelphia National Historic Site as the 424th national park and invite all to learn about the town and those who lived there. The designation of New Philadelphia National Historic Site ensures that Frank McWorter’s struggle, sacrifices and legacy will never be forgotten,” said NPS Director Chuck Sams. “It is an honor to steward these parks and programs that preserve the diverse pieces of our nation’s history.” 

Other provisions in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 and other end-of-session bills that will add to the tapestry of natural, cultural, and historic resources the NPS protects, preserves, and interprets include: 

  • Redesignating Pullman National Monument as a National Historical Park. Pullman National Monument was established in 2015 to recognize the community’s influence on urban planning and designs as well as its importance in the United States labor movement, including the 1894 Pullman Strike and Boycott. The site’s redesignation as a National Historical Park recognizes the historical resources that reflect the industrial and labor history associated with the Pullman Company, including the rise and role of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and the history of urban planning and design, of which the planned company town of Pullman is a nationally significant example. The historical resources within this site are a testament to the evolution of American industry, the rise of unions and the labor movement, the lasting strength of urban design, and the remarkable journey of the Pullman porters toward the civil rights movement of the 20th century. 
  • Establishing the Japanese American World War II History Network in the NPS and making the Norman Y. Mineta Japanese American Confinement Education Grants Program part of the Japanese American Confinement Sites Program. The network and program work to preserve sites used to confine Japanese Americans during World War II and fund educative efforts of preserving the important history of Japanese American confinement. The work of the network and grant program helps honor the people who were incarcerated through the sharing of their stories and allows all park visitors to learn from the difficult stories of formerly incarcerated Japanese Americans.  
  • Designating the Ukraine Independence Park in Washington, DC. The park — bound by 22nd Street NW, P Street NW, and Florida Avenue NW — contains the Taras Shevchenko Memorial, which was dedicated in 1964. Shevchenko, a 19th Century Ukrainian poet and artist, spent many years imprisoned for his pro-Ukrainian independence activities in Tsarist Russia. He is revered for his literary works and self-sacrificing contributions to the people of Ukraine. The Ukranian Independence Park represents support for the Ukrainian people’s right to a free and independent state. 
  • Designating the Butterfield Overland National Historic Trail. The Butterfield Overland Mail Company, also known as the Butterfield Stage, held a United States Mail contract to transport mail and passengers over the “ox-bow route” between the eastern termini of St. Louis, Missouri, and Memphis, Tennessee, and the western terminus of San Francisco, California. The postal route and stagecoach service operated from 1858 to 1861. With the advent of the Civil War, this southern mail route was discontinued and moved farther north. The route served a critical need at that time, tying disparate parts of the country together and providing an overland route that ran entirely within the continent’s borders. 
  • Establishing the Chilkoot National Historic Trail within Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. During the Klondike Gold Rush from 1897 to 1898, thousands of men, women and children used the trail to travel from Dyea, Alaska, to Lake Bennett, British Columbia. Today, over 10,000 people a year enjoy this 33-mile recreational trail where they can find hundreds of artifacts left behind by gold seekers alongside the trail. Establishing this route as a National Historic Trail allows the NPS to preserve this trail and the surrounding artifacts for visitors to enjoy for generations to come.     
  • Designating seven new National Heritage Areas (NHAs): Alabama Black Belt, Bronzeville-Black Metropolis, Downeast Maine, Northern Neck, St Croix, Southern Campaign of the Revolution and Southern Maryland. The NPS intimately works with local communities in NHAs to preserve local history, support sustainable economic development and protect natural and cultural resources. These newly designated National Heritage Areas will build interest in local heritage and stories while boosting and supporting local economies. 
  • Adding to the protection of important historical and natural resources by expanding the boundaries of several existing parks, including: the addition of 97 acres to Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument in Arizona, the addition of the Nystrom Elementary School to Rosie the Riveter/WWII Homefront National Historical Park in California, the addition of 46 acres within the boundary of Cane River Creole National Historical Park in Louisiana, expansion of Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield to include Newtonia Battlefield in Missouri, authorization to acquire property for a visitor center at Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park in Missouri, and authorization to acquire 166 acres — including the remains of Fort Brown — as an addition to Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park in Texas. 
  • Addition of two new rivers to the Wild and Scenic Rivers System: the York River, in Maine, and the Housatonic River, in Connecticut, have been added to this collection of exceptional rivers that are designated to protect their free-flowing condition, water quality, and outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values for the enjoyment of present and future generations. 

The NPS works closely with many stakeholders dedicated to the preservation of these important places. Their dedication helps the NPS tell new stories and share a more complete history of the United States. 

Source: National Park Service

The Black carp now established in parts of the Mississippi River basin

Read the full story from Northern Public Radio.

The Black carp, one of four invasive species of carp in North America, has made it into the Mississippi River basin.

A new multi-year report from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) found the range of Black carp in the Mississippi River basin now includes the entirety of the Mississippi River between New Orleans and the southeastern edge of Iowa, near Keokuk.

The Black carp is a large species of fish endemic to parts of east Asia, typically growing over three feet long and weighing over 100 pounds. The fish was deliberately brought to the states during the 1970s as a means of pest control for aquatic snails in fish ponds. The population quickly grew out of control.

Book examines tallgrass prairies’ ecological history, effects on Indigenous cultures

Read the full story from the University of Illinois.

History professor Robert Morrissey wrote in his new book, People of the Ecotone, about how the ecology of the tallgrass prairie shaped the culture and created unique opportunities for the Indigenous people who lived there.

La Salle residents told to avoid contact with green residue released during fire at chemical plant

Read the full story in the Chicago Sun-Times.

The substance is from potassium permanganate, a chemical compound produced at the Carus Chemical plant and used to treat drinking water, wastewater and industrial chemicals, officials said.

Seeing an Indigenous settlement

Read the full story from the Prairie Research Institute.

Archaeologists from the Illinois State Archaeological Survey (ISAS), part of the Prairie Research Institute (PRI) are responsible for locating and acknowledging the lands of Native Nations that are now part of the State of Illinois, as further echoed in the Office of the Chancellor’s Land Acknowledgement statement, “These … lands continue to carry the stories of these Nations and their struggles for survival and identity.” The full statement is available here.

Seven hundred years ago, a series of fortified Native American towns lined the Illinois River valley from north of Peoria, Illinois, to south of Havana, Illinois, each with a prominent townhouse or temple in the middle. A place locally called “the Heldenmeyer site” was one of these. Today, it covers 30 acres of an agricultural field.

On Chicago’s South Side, a unique bioenergy project helps fuel community connections

Read the full story at Energy News Network.

A biodigester fueled by food waste in Chicago’s Auburn Gresham neighborhood is the centerpiece of a larger development to grow healthy food and economic opportunities.

Climate change threatens to erode Illinois’ archaeological record

Read the full post from the Illinois State Archaeological Survey.

Climate-change-induced loss of the state’s cultural heritage is a social justice issue that will be felt most acutely by low-income Illinois citizens and Tribal descendant communities who have traditionally been the most marginalized. Many live in the most vulnerable areas. Doing nothing in the face of this crisis is not only inaction. It is a conscious choice to let the tangible links to history disappear forever. Given the scale of this challenge, what is the best way forward?

State releases $15M in funding for NIU sustainability center

Read the full story from Northern Illinois University.

It’s all systems go on NIU’s planned $23 million Northern Illinois Center for Community Sustainability (NICCS), as the State of Illinois has released the remainder of its funding set aside for the project.

Governor JB Pritzker announced yesterday the release of $37.3 million to launch facilities for five hubs of the Illinois Innovation Network (IIN), created to accelerate job creation and economic growth through groundbreaking education, research and discovery.

Docs to Pritzker: Truck diesel pollution is killing Illinoisans

Read the full story from the Chicago Sun-Times.

More than 130 doctors, nurses and other health care professionals are urging Gov. J.B. Pritzker to save Illinoisans’ lives by speeding up the state’s transition to electric trucks that will reduce the amount of diesel fuel air pollution. 

In a letter to the governor this week, the health professionals asked Pritzker to sign a pact with a group of other states that are setting goals for phasing out diesel fuel engines with near-term targets as early as 2030. 

Midwest river towns looking for answers after forever chemicals found in water

Read the full story from Northern Public Radio.

This fall, the towns and rural farmsteads along the Mississippi River received alarming news about their drinking water. Chemicals from a large 3M factory north of Cordova found a way into the river and their wells.

The facility employs about 500 people and makes the adhesives used in Post-It notes, Scotch tape and other popular products. It also produces a family of chemicals called PFAS, otherwise known as “forever chemicals,” whose threat to human health has prompted increasing concern among federal and state environmental agencies.

Water and wastewater sampling by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2019 detected the chemicals. Now the agency says the drinking water of nearly 300,000 people, including the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa, will need additional testing to ensure it is safe.

Earlier this month, the EPA announced that PFAS contamination from the 3M factory has created “an imminent and substantial endangerment” of public and private drinking water supplies. In a Nov. 2 EPA order, Minnesota-based 3M agreed to investigate PFAS contamination in private wells and public water systems up to 10 miles away from the plant.
The situation has left local officials in a dilemma: they want to reassure people about their drinking water, even as they face unanswered questions about health risks and who will pay to clean up the contamination.

U of I Prairie Research Institute breaks ground on carbon capture pilot project

Read the full story from WCIA.

The University of Illinois’ Prairie Research Institute broke ground on its carbon capture pilot project at the City Water, Light and Power (CWLP) Dallman Unit 4 plant Thursday.

The project is meant to reduce and eventually eliminate carbon emissions.

Gov. Pritzker asked to delay sale of Damen Silos

Read the full story in the Chicago Sun-Times.

A Southwest Side economic development organization, joined by seven other groups, asked Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Monday to delay the sale of the Damen Silos along the Chicago River to allow for public meetings before determining the fate of the 23 acres of industrial land.

Pritzker’s administration announced a plan last month to sell the property to the owner of an asphalt plant in McKinley Park that has been the target of numerous odor and nuisance complaints from its neighbors. 

MAT Asphalt co-owner Michael Tadin Jr. and his family were the high bidders for the long-dormant silos near 29th and Damen, offering $6.5 million. 

With seven industrial corridors, the Southwest Side has been at the center of a number of fights between residents and businesses over polluting industry.

Project to provide a better picture of what Mahomet aquifer looks like

Read the full story from the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette.

Scientists will take to the sky over much of Champaign County to get a closer look below the earth later this month.

Area residents shouldn’t be alarmed if they spy a fast-moving helicopter towing what looks like a trampoline frame.

Beginning Nov. 19, as part of a project contracted by the Illinois State Geological Survey at the University of Illinois and funded by Champaign County, the helicopter will be mapping most of the county to provide a three-dimensional look at the Mahomet aquifer, which supplies hundreds of millions of gallons of water per day to East Central Illinois.