31

August, 2009

John

Theffiault,

Assistant

Clerk

E

D

:3

V ED

Illinois

Pollution

Control

Board

CLE\’ OFFGE

100 West

Randolph

Street,

Suite

11-500

Chicago,

Illinois 60601

‘N

STATE

OF

1LLINOS

RE:

Rule

Making

R08-009

PoNution

Control

Board

Dear

Illinois Pollution

Control

Board:

On

behalf

of The

Cedro 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 a kayaker

and citizen

deeply concerned

about our share public

resourses , I think it is

critical that:

•

The

Metropolitan

Water

Reclamation District

disinfect sewage

treatment plant effluent to kill

bacteria

and protect

public health and

o

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

to nearly 70, including

game fish

favorites like large-mouth bass and

bluegill

and

yellow perch.

Because a review like this only comes along every

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 in water quality.

There is no

magic bullet and or all-in-one measure that can

eliminate

wuter pollution

but

we

know that if

we want the Chicago River to continue to improve

and

serve

ou:

communities

as

a recreational, natural

and economic

resource, disinfection and the

rest

of the Illinois

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,

Cedro

18

1North Larrabee

Chicago IL 60614

312.286.6143