Henry IL LLC is the new owner of the pollution problems plagued Emerald Chemical / Mexichem / previously B.F. Goodrich plant north of Henry.

By Joyce Blumenshine

Nine months and we are still waiting for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) to respond to our requests for a public pearing. There are new owners of the pollution problems plagued Emerald Chemical/Mexichem/previously B.F. Goodrich plant north of Henry. Henry IL LLC will own the plant but lease the area to a different company which will be creating the pollution discharges.

Who does the state sue if pollution permit levels are exceeded? That question has not been answered and the public deserves to know. How can the IEPA enforce pollution restrictions if the pollution permit holder is not the company that is creating the pollution?

In the decades of illegal discharges from different companies at this location, citizens have valid concerns about what is happening now. The discharges go into the Illinois River. Half of the drinking water for the city of Peoria comes from the Illinois River downstream. In January, 2022, Emerald Chemical company sold off the plant property and all the equipment and we now worry for the community of Henry and the important environmental resources downstream, including public water supplies. If you are interested in helping with this issue, send an email to hoi@illinois.sierraclub.org.