FILE

I

RECE~VED

Illinois

PIRG

CLERK’S OFFICE

Illinois Public Interest Research Group

NOV 212000

180 W. Washington St., 5th FIr., Chicago, IL

60602

(312)

364-0096

http://www.pirg.org/ilUnoispirg

STATE OF ILLINOIS

Pollution Control Board

November 17, 2000

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Re: Public Comment R01-13

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7

Dear Ms. Gunn:

On behalf ofthe Illinois Public Interest Research Group (Illinois PIRG), I am

writing to urge the Illinois Pollution Control Board to adopt strong rules to prevent

degradation of Illinois’ rivers, lakes and streams.

Illinois PIRG would like to see the following measures included in

antidegradation rules:

1. Prevent any new pollution that would harm Illinois waters. New or increased

discharges of pollutants should not be allowed where they will harm the

biological integrity of the receiving waters.

2. Citizens must be allowed to petition to place high quality waters off limits for

increased pollution. Such petitions should not be tied up in a lot of unnecessary

red tape and citizens should not be expected to show the economic impacts ofthe

designation.

Illinois should be proud ofthe progress that has been made since the 1972 passage

ofthe Clean Water Act. However, urban sprawl, hog feeding operations, and other

sources ofpollution threaten to degrade our waters to the point that they are barely

meeting water quality standards or are not meeting standards at all. Now is the time to

not only continue working to restore our polluted waters, but also maintain the integrity

of our cleaner waters. We look forward to working with you to ensure this happens.

Sincerely,

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Diane E. Brown, Executive Director