CLERK’S OFFICE

OCT

6 2(104

STATE OF ILLINOIS

Pollution Control Board

October

5,

2004

Suite 1650

25 East Washington Street

Chicago Illinois

60602-1708

Tel: 312-427-4256

Fax: 312-427-6251

svsvv~.openlandsorg

Board of Directors

Pietic/eni

Susan Bell

Trcasurer

Paul

L. Becker

Scireta,

Nancy W. Sutherl and

Vice Pies/dent

Ac/iiijnisti’a!ioii

Andrew Ott

i

17cc Pie sic/cut

Dece/opuicit!

Jonathan C. Hamill

07cc

Pies/c/c/it

Pia,i~icuu

Ellen C. Newcomer

Vice Pre.sic/e,ti

Pa/icy

J.

Timothy Ritchie

Past

Ps’.sic/e;ii

Tony Dean

Donn F.

Daily. Ph.D.

Shaun C.

Block

Richard J.

Carlson. Ph.D.

George W. Davis

Victoria C. Drake

Mary S. Mills Dunea

Philip J. Enquist. FAIA

Lynn

B. Evans

Joseph

Ni. Flavin

John M. Hai~ht.III

Diane L.

Hamburger

Daniel

Kearner

Iris J. Krieg

Jan15 Wellin Notz

George W~Overton

Charles Saltzman

Georgiana Taylor

George H. Waie. Ph.D.

Honorary Due eta;:

Marshall Field V

Jack Guth

Brooks NicCormick

Louise B. Young

Eves

itt/ic Di,nctor

Gerald W. Adelmann

Afli

I/ate

CorLands

Dorothy

Gunn,

Clerk

Illinois

Pollution ControlBoard

James R. Thompson Center

100 W. Randolph Street, Suite 11-500

Chicago,

Illinois

In re: R04-21

Dear

Ms.

Gunn:

Openlands Project is a 40-year old non-profit organization dedicated to preserving

and

enhancing public open space in northeastern Illinois. Openlands Project

appreciates the opportunity to comment on IEPA’s proposal to revise the

Radium

Water Quality Standards to increase the allowable

amount

ofradium from one

picocurie per liter to five picocuries per liter.

Openlands is concerned about this proposed

rule

change. Specifically, we urge

the Board not to adopt the proposal until more information is available about the

possibleharmful effects ofsuch a change on aquatic

life and drinking

water

supplies. We understand that information

may

soon be available on the possible

effect on

certain

species. We therefore ask the Board to investigate

this

information thoroughly before

making any

changes to the rule.

Openlands

also

believes

that,

as a general principle, the Board should not relax

water

quality

standards in the absence ofclear

and

convincing evidence

that

the

changes will not harm

any

aquatic

life

or

drinking

water supplies. We believe

that the species most sensitive to a particular pollutant should be identified for

any

proposed rule

change and that

no rule change should be allowed

that

would harm

Sincerely,

Richard Acker

Regional Land Use Coordinator

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