CLERK’S OFPic~

DEC

0 6

2000

STATE OF

ILLINOIS

~‘g(~p4ç~olJo~O,

Board

Ms.

Dorothy

Gunn

Clerk ofthe

Board

illinois Pollution Control Board

100 W. Randolph

St.

Clu~ago,

Illinois

60601

Re: Public Comment re R01-13

~

~

Dear

Ms.

Gunn:

The illinois Pollution Control Board should adopt strong rules to prevent degradationof

illinois,

rivers,

lakes

and

streams.

New or

increased

pollution should not be allowed in

any water unless

it has

been

shown

that it.wiil

not

hurt

aquatic life.

New

or

increasedpollution

should not be allowed in

any

illinois water unless it has

been

shown thatit is

really

necessaiy. This means that

all reasonable alternativesto allowing the

new-pollutionshould~be:considered-carefully.

In

all

regions of the state, there

are

a few high

quality

lakes

and streams that

should be

preserved

in their existing

high

quality.

To protect natural

beauty,

endangered

species,

wildlife, and

opportunities for

our

children to enjoy

nature and outdoor recreation,

newdevelopment should be preventing from impacting

theseoutstandingwaters.

Presently,

the

illinois EPA grants permits for new

andincreased discharges

of

pollutiowwithout

much

scientific

study or citizen input

No serious

studies

are performed

to determine ifthe newpollution

will harnithe~aquatic

life

in the receiving water or ifallowing the newpollution is

truly needed

to

accommodate important

economicor

social

development.

The illinois EPA proposal allows

citizens

to petition to have waters

designated as “Outstanding

Resource

Waters”

and

protected

from

future

pollution, but practically makes it impossible for them to do so. Underthe proposal,

notice must be given to

many more types

of

businesses and individuals

than is reasonably necessary. Also, the

proposed rules

require

citizen groups to provide evidence on

potential :econQmC impacts

of an

Outstanding

Resource Water designation although such groups obviously do not have access to the

necessary

information.

Friends of clean water should urge the Board to eliminate

unnecessary

burdens on ORW petitions

and

not require

citizens to offer testimony on things

that

only business knows. If

businesses

are concerned about apotential ORW

designation, they can come forward

with

evidence as to

how it might

hurt

their revenues or costs.

I am

urging

you to adopt

these

antidegradation rules to

help keep Illinois’ clean waters clean.

Let

your conscience

Sincerely,

~

Dominic C.

Camona (concerned

citizen)