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ILLINOIS — On Thursday, August 20, the Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors voted to sell its federally-owned mineral rights to the Sugar Camp mine in Illinois. TVA’s decision to divest its ownership in Sugar Camp ensures that one of the nation’s largest mines will continue to operate — despite the alarming environmental issues and safety violations that have plagued the mining complex.
“TVA divestiture or sale of Illinois coal rights will mean 30 more years are likely for damaging longwall underground coal mining by a coal mine operator that repeatedly has risked miners’ lives and has a record of worker deaths due to management failures. We do not want to see more of these mine tragedies in Illinois.” said Joyce Blumenshine, a volunteer leader with the Illinois Chapter Sierra Club Mining Issues Team.
Blumenshine traveled from Illinois to the Board’s listening session in Memphis, Tennessee, to urge the TVA to delay its vote and ask for a review of the current controversial mine operators, Foresight, citing safety and environmental concerns.
