The
Board
of
Commissioners
WILLIAM BEAVERS
JERRY
BUTLER
FORREST
CLAYPOOL
EARLEAN
COLLINS
JOHN
R
DALEY
ELIZABETH
ANN DOODY
GORMAN
GREGG
GOSLIN
ROBERTO
MALDONADO
APR
2
4
2009
The
Forest Preserve District
of Cook
County
supports
the Illinois Environmental
Protection
Agency’s
proposed amendments
to improve
water
quality
standards in
the
Chicago Area
Waterway System
(CAWS). Improved
water
quality
would help protect
biological diversity
and improve
outdoor recreational
opportunities.
The
Forest Preserve District
of Cook
County is the largest
and oldest
forest preserve
district in Illinois with
over 68,000 acres
held in the public
trust. Nowhere
in the United
States
is there such
a
large
area of
publicly owned native
landscape
as
fine
and readily
accessible to so many
people. The Board
of Forest
Preserve
Commissioners
is
authorized by
law:
To acquire and
hold lands
containing
natural
forests for
the purpose
of protecting
and
preserving
the flora, fauna
and
scenic
beauties, and
to restore, restock,
protect
and preserve
said
lands as nearly
as may be in their
natural
state and
condition,
for the education,
pleasure
and
recreation
of the public.
Much of
the Forest
Preserve holdings
encompass
the major waters
ways of the
Chicago-land
area. These waters
are important
sanctuaries for native
flora and
fauna,
and important
recreational areas
for the general
public;
activities
such
as
boating,
canoeing,
kayaking, fishing and
nature
studies
are enjoyed
by
millions
on a weekly
basis.
In a study conducted
by the USDA Forest
Service one
of our preserves
was monitored
for
public attendance;
the results
found
that more
people enjoyed this
preserve
that
year
than
any national
park site
but
one; that site being Yosemite
National
Park.
JOSEPH
MARIO
MORENO
JOAN P.
MURPHY
ANTHONY
J.
PERAICA
MIKE
QUIGLEY
TIMOTHY
0. SCHNEIDER
PETER
N.
SILVESTRI
DEBORAH
SIMS
ROBERT
STEELE
LARRY
SUFFREDIN
FOREST
PRESERVE
DISTRICT
of
Cook
County,
Illinois
GENERAL
HEADQUARTERS
April
21, 2009
Marie
Tipsord, Hearing
Officer
Illinois
Pollution Control
Board
100W. Randolph
St., Suite 11-500
Chicago,
IL 60601
Re: Comment
on Rule Making
R08-09
TODD
H.
STROGER,
PRESIDENT
536 NORTH HARLEM
AVENUE,
RIVER FOREST,
ILUNOIS
60305
773-261-8400/708-366-9420/800-870-3666
TDD
708-771-1190
Steven
M. Bylina,
Jr., GENERAL
SUPERINTENDENT
ED
ST4j-E.
Pollution
Primed on Recycled
Paper
In addition to being an important refuge, providing rare habitat for local flora and fauna,
the
preserves provide first rate outdoor recreational opportunities for the public.
Improvements in water quality have shown
an increase
in biodiversity, and an overall
improvement in the health of the native landscape. The District is currently studying
river otters that are returning to waterways throughout Cook County. River otters are
one among
many
species
that could benefit from water
quality improvements.
The Forest
Preserve
District of Cook County has been and
will continue
to be a
leader
in
the protection and management of open lands in the Chicago-land
area.
Sincerely,
General Superintende t
C.c. John Therriault, Clerk