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.
[…] is now working to provide a similar web model for the DePue Superfund Site. Their story is here. Share and […]
Thank you for your article. Being from DePue, I am not suprised you found people friendly. DePue is more like a family than a town. I wish that I could be as upbeat as the mayor. The reason why is my brother is one of those subjects in the study. My brother died from MS at the age of 36. He had strong views about how he got MS. I also share his views. It is upsetting that this has gone on so long. He died almost 15 years ago and had MS for 6 years before he died. The people of DePue deserve to have this matter resolved. Thank you for whatever coverage you can give this matter. If they can clean up the mess they left in the town I had so many memories in, my brother will have not died in vain.