Overview

Beginning in the 1850s, manufactured gas plants (MGPs) were built in cities throughout Illinois. These plants produced gas by heating coal or oil. The gas was used for lighting, cooking and heating. The MGPs were closed as natural gas became widely available.

As the MGPs were closed, equipment was removed and buildings were razed. However, some byproducts – primarily coal tar – of the manufactured gas process remained buried on the site. While this was in accordance with the practices of the time, today the location of these byproducts must be located, identified and removed. Ameren Illinois conducts MGP site investigations and cleanups in accordance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund Program under oversight of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

The files found on this website are a collection of documents associated with the Taylorville MGP Remediation Project. In addition to this website, site information repositories are maintained at the Taylorville Public Library, 121 W. Vine Street.

Ameren Illinois is continuing to work towards restoring the site to beneficial community reuse.

For additional inquiries about this project, contact:

Brian Bretsch
Ameren Illinois
10 Richard Mark Way
Collinsville, IL 62234
618.343.8087
Email: bbretsch@ameren.com

For inquiries regarding the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s oversight of this project, contact: