A bomb found at an ethanol and alcohol production plant in Peoria, Illinois, on Nov. 13 forced a mandatory evacuation of homes and businesses on both sides of the Illinois River. Police said bomb technicians made the device safe and no injuries were reported, but a search of the facility for other explosives was still pending Saturday morning.
The incident comes as federal efforts to secure chemical facilities have been sharply reduced. A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report published Sept. 8, 2026, found that the program used to check chemical facility workers and visitors against the federal terrorist watchlist ended in 2023 and has not been replaced. Staff at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) dedicated to chemical security also fell from 214 to 52 between fiscal years 2024 and 2025, leaving about a quarter of authorized positions filled. Nothing reported so far connects those findings to Peoria. Officials have not named a suspect or motive, and they have not said whether this plant was covered by the former program.
Bomb threat leads to a one-mile evacuation zone
Mayor Rita Ali said the device was found at BioUrja Renewables, in an industrial area along the riverfront. According to Police Chief Brad Dixon, as reported by The New York Times, the plant received a bomb threat Friday and officers located a suspicious package around 2 p.m. Several hours later officials judged it a credible threat and set a one-mile blast radius. At about 7:05 p.m., police told anyone living or working inside that radius to leave. The zone covered commercial and residential areas of Peoria and part of East Peoria, where the order was still in effect Saturday morning.
Ali said a second communication claimed there were additional bombs. None had been found as of Saturday morning, and the search paused overnight because of darkness. It was expected to resume at sunrise and could run well into the afternoon. Dixon declined to say whether there were suspects. Ali said experts chose the evacuation radius after weighing the nature of the device and the chemicals stored at the plant, and that the first bomb was found on land closed to the public.
Residents of an apartment complex for older adults were among those displaced, and the city opened Manual Academy as a temporary shelter. Officers went door to door, and the mayor said the city was still trying to persuade some residents to leave. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Coast Guard were involved, and Ryan Presley, who leads the FBI’s Springfield field office, said investigators would pursue those responsible “tirelessly.”
Federal watchlist checks for chemical plants ended in 2023
Bomb threats are common and usually prove unfounded, a point Dixon made himself when he said this case was different because officials found a package they considered a real danger.
The GAO report describes what has changed for facilities like this one. From 2007 to 2023, the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program covered about 3,200 high-risk sites and required them to screen personnel and unescorted visitors against the watchlist, which private companies cannot access on their own. That vetting covered roughly 500,000 people. When Congress let the program’s authority lapse in July 2023, the vetting ended with it. As of May 2026, the reduced staff at CISA exploring a replacement. According to the report, agency officials and every industry stakeholder GAO interviewed called the loss the most significant challenge facilities face, and the agency itself has said it leaves the sector exposed to insider attacks.
The same report found more than 89 million Americans live or work within two miles of a high-risk chemical facility as of 2025. Its recommendation that the agency develop a voluntary vetting option was rejected by the the Trump-Vance administration’s Department of Homeland Security. The recommedation remains open.
Investigators have not said how the device reached the site, and nothing so far suggests an insider was involved. Peoria officials planned to share more information around midday Saturday. This is a developing story, and details may change.
Sources and further reading:
The Guardian. Bomb found at Illinois ethanol plant, prompting evacuations. Nov. 14, 2026
The New York Times. Bomb Found at Ethanol Plant in Peoria, Ill., Mayor Says. Nov. 14, 2026
Central Illinois Proud. Evacuation order issued for Downtown Peoria and East Peoria. Nov. 14, 2026
Global Biodefense. 89 Million Americans Live Near High-Risk Chemical Facilities With No Federal Way to Vet Staff for Terrorist Ties. Sept. 12, 2026
This article was researched and sourced by CBRNE Central editors and reported with Claude AI assistance for drafting and editing.