Jasper County hosts the largest of three prairie chicken flocks till existing in Illinois. Large flocks were once a common sight in Illinois. The prairie chicken has earned fame through the uniqueness of its mating ritual. Central IL Public Service Company has designated approximately 240 acres of its property as additional prairie chicken sanctuary.

In 1979 the Illinois Department of Natural Resources signed a 25-year lease with Central Illinois Public Service Company which designated the 1,775 acre Newton Lake and 540 acres of shoreline as a day use conservation area. By agreement, recreational activities in the area consist of fishing, picnicking, trail use and deer hunting.

Central Illinois Public Service Company (CIPS) constructed an electric power generating plant in Jasper County southwest of Newton, Illinois. The Newton Plant is the most modern in the network of CIPS generating plants. The plant is fueled by coal and utilizes the latest developments in sulfur dioxide removal systems. It is hoped that this system will enable the plant to continue to burn high sulfur Illinois coal, yet remain with environmental safety standards. When the two generators at the plant operate simultaneously a total generating capacity of approximately 1,180,000 kilowatts is produced. CIPS provides electric service to an estimated 760,000 people in 65 counties over a service area of 20,000 square miles.