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Serving Bureau County Since 1847
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
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DePue enters $975,000 settlement Village will continue to push for cleanup of Superfund site By Goldie Currie gcurrie@bcrnews.com
DEPUE — Last week, the DePue Village Board passed a resolution authorizing village president Eric Bryant to enter a $975,000 settlement agreement with Exxon Mobil Corporation and CBS Operations — the “responsible parties” in the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency cleanup of DePue’s Superfund site.
In the settlement agreement released by the village it states, “the village agrees to take no further action to prosecute the underlying litigation and the pending appeal in (the appellate case).” After the village’s dismissal, the “responsible parties” has 30 days to make payment to the village. The settlement agreement states the payment should be used on water and sewer system upgrades, improvements to
municipal buildings and recreational facilities and purchase of capital assets and real estate. After the village’s board meeting last Monday, the board released a statement noting they were pleased to have settled the lawsuit with Exxon Mobil and CBS Operations, however the settlement concerned only the authority of the village to assess fines and bring certain kinds of lawsuits. “The settlement does not in any way affect the ongoing clean-up process being led by IEPA, “ the statement said. “The
village will continue to participate vigorously in that process to ensure that the health and safety of the residents of DePue are protected and that the village gets the fair cleanup it deserves. It has been almost 20 years since IEPA entered a consent order with the responsible parties to cleanup the hazardous wastes they left behind.” “We continue to call on Exxon Mobil and CBS to clean up DePue and urge IEPA to continue to push the remediation process forward as quickly as possible. The people of DePue
Drivers reminded to slow down
Are you enrolled? Local health department to host open enrollment events before Dec. 23 deadline
By BCR staff
By Goldie Currie
news@bcrnews.com
gcurrie@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON — The Bureau and Putnam County Health Department will host open enrollment events for the new health insurance plans Dec. 17-20 throughout Bureau and Putnam counties. The deadline to enroll is Dec. 23 for coverage on Jan. 1. The open enrollment events are part of a statewide campaign, “Drive to Coverage,” to encourage Illinois residents to take an active role in learning about coverage options available, according to a press release issued by the Bureau and Putnam County Health Department. Specially trained counselors, called “navigators,” will be on-site to assist, answer questions and work with residents to enroll for free. Local navigator Dan Eiten said they can help residents understand what the new law means to them and go through the application process. “The first enrollment deadline is approaching and we want to make sure that community members are aware of the resources that are available to them to help navigate the process,” he said. “So far, the enrollment locally has gone pretty well, but we continue to struggle with misinformation and outreach.”
See Enrollment Page 3
have been waiting too long for simple fairness and justice.” The DePue Citizens Action Group (CAG) will continue to remain active and work with the IEPA in the cleanup process of the Superfund site. A copy of the settlement agreement is available at the village hall. The settlement agreement includes a full background on the legal procedures between the village and responsible parties dating back to 2006. Comment on the story at www.bcrnews.com.
BCR photo/Amelia Bystry
Snuggle time Hensley Leach and her dog Penny aren’t intimidated by a little cold and snow on Saturday as they enjoy some outdoor play time together. No doubt, many Bureau County residents spent at least a portion of Saturday morning clearing sidewalks and driveways from the overnight snowfall which brought an estimated five inches to the area. Motorists are urged to use caution on winter roads, especially after snowfalls, according to Bureau County Sheriff John Thompson.
HENRY — Snow-covered roads caused at least one accident on Saturday morning, sending a school bus into the ditch in Putnam County. The school bus from Rich Township High School District 227 was transporting students to a competition when it slid off the road about 10 a.m. Saturday in Wolf Hollow on Illinois Route 18, about two miles east of Henry. The bus was driven by the Illinois School Bus Company. Rich Township High School is located about 30 miles south of Chicago. The Putnam County Emergency Medical Services (PCEMS) was in charge of the scene. PCEMS Director Andy Jackson said there were 18 students and teachers aboard the bus. Nine were transported by area ambulances to St. Margaret’s Hospital in Spring Valley, with the remaining nine people transported by bus to the hospital as well. “The bus was headed west down the hill, returning from an outing. The bus started to slide and went into the ditch. There were several injuries but none of them serious,” Jackson said. St. Margaret Hospital nursing supervisor Anne Swank confirmed there were nine people seen through the emergency room, with those nine treated and released.
See Slow down Page 3
For breaking news, sports and current weather conditions, go to bcrnews.com Year 167 No. 151 One Section - 16 Pages
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