Seneca residents voice concerns over potential oil, barge business on Illinois River

Jun 08, 2024

Seneca residents came prepared to speak against a potential oil barge business on the Illinois River at the Plan Commission meeting Wednesday night, but the topic was removed from the agenda.

Plan Commission Chairman Tom Justice said the agenda item was not removed because Illinois and Michigan Oil, the company discussing operating on the river, was tipped off about public dissent, but because the Plan Commission wasn’t prepared to consider it at this time.

The Plan Commission still allowed residents to share their concerns Wednesday in the public comment period of the meeting, but the panel didn’t comment on the issue: Justice said commission members don’t know enough about Illinois and Michigan Oil’s plan.

Seneca residents filed a lawsuit against the Illinois and Michigan Oil Company in January 2021 to vacate a permit approved by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for a barge fleeting facility on the south bank of the Illinois River.

Doug Gladden, one of the residents who spoke, said the prospect of this 106 barge terminal across the river from residences is a challenge Seneca has been faced with for the last three years.

“It’s being proposed by a company headed by a gentleman named Derek Egan, who is part of the Egan Marine family,” Gladden said. “It has a history including a fatality barge explosion on the Des Plains River in January 2005, of which one of his relatives, Dennis Egan, was piloting a tow boat and it was a result of improper venting of a hydrocarbon petroleum barge.”

Gladden said he does not believe the proposal is something Seneca should consider as a positive to the community. The community should instead view it as a detriment to items, such as tourism and boating.

“There’s a huge difference in water quality when you get up near I-55 where all the petrochemical barges are compared to here,” Gladden said. “I think it’s a matter that should be seriously taken into consideration by you, as a committee and the full Village Board.”

David Wallin, another Seneca resident, said he’s reviewed Illinois and Michigan Oil’s safety record, and he believes it’s a concern.

He asked the Plan Commission if they’ve seen what the river looks like toward I-55, and said it looks awful and smells horrible. He also said he has concerns over fires.

“I’m the plant manager for a gravel company, and I know a lot of the safety regulators around us,” Wallin said. “Most people wouldn’t let them, and I mean, I wouldn’t let them on one of my sites because of their safety record.”

Justice said when Illinois and Michigan Oil does speak to the Plan Commission, it will be for an informational meeting.