August
30,
2009
ED
John
Therriault.
Assistant
Clerk
082009
Illinois
Pollution
Control
Board
100
West Randolph
Street, Suite
11-500
poll
ST
1:
OF
‘1_LJNO,
3
Chicago,
Illinois
60601
11
IOn
Cont,
01
8
oard
RE:
Rule Making
R08-009
Dear
Illinois
Pollution
Contrbl
Board:
Oii behalf
of the Eckhouse
Hutnick
family,
I am writing
to
express
my
support
for
the recommended
water
quality
standard
improvements
proposed
by the
Illinois
EPA for
the
Chicago
Area
Waterways
(CAWS)
and
Lower
Des
Plaines
River
as rule
making R08-009.
These
changes
are
long
overdue
and
recommended
only after
five
years
of study
on the CAWS
and
seven
on
the
Lower
Des
Plaines.
We
should
all support
the Illinois
EPA’s
effort and
approve
the
changes.
As
our
family lives
next
to the North
brahch
of the
Chicago
River,
I think
it is
critical that:
o
The
Mettopolitai
Water
Reclamation
District
disiiifect
sewage
treatment
plant
effluent
to
kill
bacteria
and
protect
public
health
and
•
Temperature
and
dissolved
oxygen
standards
be
implemented
to protect
fish
and
help
them
flourish.
Over
the years,
the
entire
CAWS
system
has
changed
dramatically.
The
water, once
full
of raw
sewage
and
industrial
filth,
has vastly
improved
through
the
leadership
of
agencies
like
the
Metropolitan
Water
Reclamation
District
and
its Tunnel
and Reservoir
Plan. Public
access
has
increased
considerably
as local
governments
incorporated
these
rivers
into their
master
planning.
The
City
of Chicago,
the Chicago
Park
District,
and
suburbs
like
Blue Island
and
Skokie
have
poured
millions
into
river
access
for paddling.
fishing.
and
crew.
And
so
much
work
has
been done
to
improve
habitat
and control
pollution
that
in
the
Chicago
River
system, species
of
fish have
climbed
from
under 10
toly
70, including
game
fish
favorites
like large-mouth
bass
and
bluegill
and yellow
perch.
Because
a
review
like
this only
comes
along
eveiy
20 years,
right
now
we
have
a once-in-a-generation
opportunity
to
continue
our
momentum
by
supporting
the
Illinois
EPA
recommendations
so
we
can make
the next
quantum
leap forward
lii
water quality.
There
is
no magic
bullet
and
or all-in-one
measure
that can
eliminate
water
pollution
but
we
know that
if
we
want
the
Chicago
River
to
continue
to
improve
and
serve
our
communities
as a recreational,
natural
and economic
resource,
disinfection
and
the
rest of
the
Iffinois
EPA’s
recommendations
are
essential.
I believe
that
as
a
society
it
is
our
moral
obligation
to
ensure
that
we
work
to
achieve
the
highest
potential
for
shared
resources,
including
and especially
water.
And
as stewards
of
these natural
resources,
we
should
not be
seeking
the
minimum
in
improvement,
but
the
maximum.
Thank
you,
2
-Ai
Felice
Eckhoüse
5129
N.
Troy
Chicago,
IL
60625
773-583-6636