Typical Illinois River tributary southwest of Fayetteville, Arkansas, has siltation caused by Highway Department's dredging of roadside ditches

Please click on individual images to ENLARGE view of stream that enters the Illinois River. This one is near a highway and shows signs of dumping of assorted material in the creek. Worse, however, is that Arkansas Highway and Transportation workers mow and then dredge out ditches from which water from the highway carries silt into the stream. That reduces the success of many native species that inhabit the stream. It is easy to haul out the junk and debris. But silt is difficult to remove. Neither should be in the stream. Thoughtless people dump the junk into creeks. Well-paid workers dredge the ditches and cause the erosion at taxpayer expense!

Democracy Now video below shows hidden cost of hydraulic fracturing in search for fossil fuel

The morning of February 23, 2010, on Democracy Now (every weekday morning 7am CAT Ch. 18) Amy interviewed Josh Fox, the director of the new film, "Gasland."
He traveled about 10 states and discovered widespread pollution of groundwater by hydraulic fracturing. The or a connection to CCTF is the harm caused by the reckless search for additional fossil fuels. There are hidden costs in fracturing; the public needs to know the true costs in this and all energy sources. Also the corruption involved (another cost):

The 2005 Energy Bill exempted the natural-gas industry from the Safe Drinking Water Act especially to give free rein to fracking. Imagine the amount of money spent on campaign contributions and lobbying to produce that special corporate-interest legislature.

--
Dick Bennett
jbennet@uark.edu

Big white heron, mallard ducks flock together on the Illinois River when ponds in watershed were frozen

Please click on image to ENLARGE view of Illinois River waterfowl on January 6, 2010.

Arkansas Supreme Court to hear major environmental case the week before Earth Day: Will the court do the right thing?

State Supreme Court Sets Hearing on Swepco Power Plant
By The Associated Press - 2/9/2010 12:03:25 PM

LITTLE ROCK - The Arkansas Supreme Court is to hear oral arguments on April 15 in a utility's appeal of a ruling that voided its permit to operate a $1.6 billion coal-fired electric generation plant in southwest Arkansas.
(Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be broadcast published, rewritten, or redistributed.)
Copyright © 2010, Arkansas Business Limited Partnership. All Rights Reserved.

Photo montage of World Peace Wetland Prairie

Please click on image to ENLARGE and navigate up and down, right and left, to see whole montage.

Montage by Lauren D. Hawkins with photos by Aubrey James Shepherd

OMNI Center for Peace, Justice and Ecology invites all to open house from 3 to 6 p.m. today

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OMNI Center for Peace Justice and Ecology opens new house to all TODAY!
Office Phone: (479)935-4422
omni.center.for.pje@gmail.com
“OMNI Center for Peace, Justice & Ecology
educates and empowers people to actively
build a non-violent, sustainable and just world.”
Saturday,
February 2010
3:00—6:00 PM
3274 N. Lee Ave
OMNI CENTER for PEACE, JUSTICE & ECOLOGY
You are invited to celebrate the dedication of
OMNI Center’s new building! Enjoy music, re-
freshments, good fellowship, speakers, and
tours! Learn more than 35 ways to be involved
in OMNI. Help build a culture of peace in an
earth restored, that includes everyone.
Children
Welcome!
Handicap
Access
Refreshments
Will Be
Served!
Open House!