Statement for Gordon Moore Soccer Field
Thursday, June 27th, 2024
The Illinois Mine Subsidence Insurance Fund is thankful that no one was injured in the limestone mine collapse that affected the Gordon Moore soccer park, and we understand the terrifying nature of the event. Our understanding is that as an active limestone mine, event-specific questions are being handled directly by the mining company.
The Illinois Mine Subsidence Insurance Fund is a taxable enterprise created by Statute to operate as a private solution to a public problem. The purpose of the Fund is to assure financial resources are available to owners of property damaged by mine subsidence. The Fund fills a gap in the insurance market for the benefit of Illinois property owners at risk of experiencing mine subsidence damage.
The Fund does this by:
- providing reinsurance to insurance companies for damage caused by mine subsidence,
- conducting geotechnical investigations to determine if mine subsidence caused the damage,
- supporting and sponsoring mine subsidence related research and initiatives consistent with the public interest, and
- educating the public and the industry about mine subsidence and related issues.
For background, The Illinois State Geological Survey estimates that approximately 201,000 acres of urban and built-up areas in Illinois are in close proximity to mines. With that said, subsidence in our area is common and varies in severity as well as cause.
For those looking for overall mine subsidence facts and statistics we would direct you to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
Best Regards,
Jessicca Varacalli – Industry Relations and Consumer Education Manager/lMSIF