Reporter’s Note
Several weeks ago I wrote a story (here) about Illinois’s Village of DePue and its efforts to clean up its land and nearby lake. Last week I was given the opportunity to actually travel out to DePue, photograph the area, and speak to some of the major parties involved in the Superfund site cleanup. Learning about the issues involved, as well as possible solutions, engendered this short video.
What struck me most about Illinois’s Village of Lake DePue and nearby Village of DePue was not their beauty – though they certainly did look gorgeous dressed in the colors of a Midwestern autumn – but the good spirits of their inhabitants. The village’s mayor, Eric Bryant, was charmingly upbeat in his assessment of the situation, despite his frustration about the lethargy of the cleanup process. Many residents have despaired or moved, but many are still committed to the preservation and restoration of this historic site.
The IEPA, who commented in my previous article, declined Loeb’s invitation to be involved in the day’s activities, citing legal constraints. For more information, please visit the Village of DePue’s website or the IEPA’s.
Related posts:
- Village of DePue receives response from IEPA about lake cleanup
- One drop at a time: Northwestern students tackle water sanitation in a far-flung Indian desert
- Marching for “World Toilet Day” in Rajasthan, India
- NU-AID establishes new site in Oaxaca
- Good, Better, and Breast: Cool Breast Cancer Arts Initiatives
