The DeWitt County Board is considering joining the Mahomet Aquifer Coalition.

The Mahomet Acquifer Coalition is a group of various governing bodies on the Mahomet Aquifer who are fighting the Clinton Landfill's attempts to dump PCBs into the landfill, which sits over the Mahomet Aquifer. County Board Member George Wissmiller explains the effort is spearheaded in Champaign and covers all of seven counties and parts of eleven others.

[audio:11813coaltion1.mp3] [/audio]

The purpose of the coalition is impose restrictions on projects that threaten aquifers such as the Mahomet Aquifer. Wissmiller explains the Clinton Landfills attempt to obtain a state permit has already been granted, so these efforts won't effect that effort directly.

[audio:11813coalition2.mp3] [/audio]

While the coalition does have some legal powers, the biggest impact they have is raising public awareness. Wissmiller believes this is not a single county or city issue, but a multi-governmental issue. He feels the original issuance of the permit should never have been granted.

[audio:11813coaltion3.mp3] [/audio]

The County Board has not yet joined the coalition. Wissmiller encouraged his fellow County Board members who may not have been familiar with the coalition to do some research. Wissmiller says he is not in a hurry to join the coalition as he wants his fellow board members to be in full understanding of what it would mean to join it.