Editor:

East Central Illinois is at a fork in the road in deciding how our energy should be generated.

On the one hand is a new coal mine that Sunrise Coal seeks to build on prime farmland near Homer. While coal has fueled most of our Illinois electric plants for decades, it has also left us with huge pits of toxic coal ash residue that is leaking into our water in over 80 places in Illinois, including three coal ash pits along the Middle Fork River in Vermilion County.

Existing coal ash is already a huge problem, so why encourage a new mine that would produce more coal ash from a dying industry? Some residents argue that a new mine will supply needed jobs and revenue in the local area, but Sunrise Coal recently closed its Indiana-based Carlisle mine, laying off 90 workers due to the poor coal economy.

Can we trust that the same thing will not happen at the proposed coal mine near Homer?

The other fork in the road is represented by a comprehensive bill in the General Assembly called the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA) which seeks ramp up renewable energy development in our state by committing Illinois to 100% renewable energy by 2050 and creating jobs and economic opportunity.

It is time to decide which fork in the road Illinois will take. For more information on the Sunrise Coal mine proposal, go to www.standuptocoal.com.

Michael and Kristin Camp, Collison