By: Diane Benjamin
Normal’s maintenance of Sugar Creek has been an issue for years. Bloomington mows along the creek and spot sprays really obnoxious weeds:
Normal used to mow, then they decided to create a habitat. This is what it did look like, neighbors reported increased mosquitoes, rats, skunk, and snakes in their backyards. The picture on left is with no rain, the right is with a lot of rain:
When people living along the creek complained Normal changed again. They are now spraying the brush. I FOIA’d the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for the chemicals being sprayed. 2 of the 3 have warnings not to use them around water because they are toxic to aquatic life. See them here:
Once again people living along the creek aren’t happy because the chemicals aren’t safe for their dogs or children. The houses are close to the creek. The creek also floods during rains, it was intended to flood as a way to disperse water. Are hazardous chemicals getting into Sugar Creek? Maybe somebody should check!
This is the area affected:
Some people mow along the creek themselves, maybe doing Normal’s job for them is the only way to get it right.
They need to go in there with a brush hog and just keep that stuff knocked down. Cheaper and not hazardous. Idiots!
When given the choice between mowing and spraying, Normal chooses to poison the fish and wildlife. Great job Normal.
Normal has taxed me more than $70,000 for “Storm Water Maintenace”, and refuses to maintain the storm water ditch that goes through my property.
None of the council members care or are accountable because none live in the negatively impacted areas. Another reason Normal needs districting passed.
Why isn’t the Ecology Action Center concerned about the toxic practice used by the Town of Normal? Submit a complaint to the IEPA.