OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS

IN THE MATTER OF:

)

)

NATURAL GAS-FIRED, PEAK-LOAD

)

ROl-lO

ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATING

)

FACILITIES (PEAKER PLANTS)

)

TESTIMONY

OF DR.

BRIAN 0. ANDERSON

My name is Brian Anderson. I am the Director of the Office of Scientific Research and Analysis,

ofthe Illinois Department ofNatural Resources. In that capacity I coordinate the activities of

Illinois’ Scientific Surveys. I am also here today representing Brent Manning, Director of the

Illinois Department ofNatural Resources. Director Manning and Director Thomas Skinner of

the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency are co-chairing Governor Ryan’s, Water Resources

Advisory Committee. The Water Resources Advisory Committee has been charged with

analyzing the potential impacts ofindustry, agriculture, and our population on Illinois’

groundwater and surface water supplies. The first meeting ofthe Advisory Committee is

scheduled for 31 August, 2000. One of the specific areas the Water Resources Advisory

Committee has been asked to look at is energy producing facilities. Gas-fired, peak load electric

power generating facilities, due to their numbers and their water quantity demands, will be

specifically discussed. The need for the work ofthe Water Resources Advisory Committee is

underscored by a conclusion drawn in the Assessment of Illinois Water Law, Appendix A-

Survey ofIllinois Water Law (Beck et al., 1996, p. #A-16), “with the exception ofvarious

provisions relating to Lake Michigan, there are few statutes that confer specific authority to

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regulate withdrawals ofwater in Illinois.” While it is, therefore, more appropriate to deal with

water quantity issues relating to peaker plants in the context of the Water Resources Advisory

Committee, I would like to make available to the Pollution Control Board the expertise of

Illinois’ Scientific Surveys in these deliberations. I have also asked Dr. Derek Winstanley, Chief

ofthe Illinois State Water Survey, to provide you with a concise overview ofsome specific water

quantity issues associated with peak-load, electric power generating facilities which will be

discussed by the Water Resources Advisory Committee. This concludes my testimony.

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DATED: August 22, 2000

524

South Second Street

Springfield, IL 62701-1787

217/524-9506

Illinois Department ofNatural Resources

By:

Dr. Brian D. Anderson