May 16, 2007
Illinois Pollution Control Board
Attention : Clerk of the Board
100 West Randolph Street
James R
. Thompson Center, Suite 11-500
Chicago, IL 60601-3218
RE
: AS 2007-2 (Petition for Adjusted Standard)
Dear Members of the Board :
As Chairman of the Madison County Board of Madison County, Illinois, I
strongly support Illinois American Water's petition to extend the adjusted
standard that allows Illinois American to continue their discharge operations
from their Alton water treatment facility into the Mississippi River
. Illinois
American serves our western, most urbanized portion of Madison County
.
The previously approved adjusted standard arrangement between Illinois
American, the Great Rivers Land Trust and the Illinois Environmental
Protection Agency, which allows for siltation "off-sets", has been extremely
successful, resulting in water quality improvement far exceeding agreed
upon limits in Piasa Creek
. Great Rivers Land Trust reports that the Piasa
Creek Watershed project is one of the most successful water quality
improvement projects in our region and ending this arrangement would have
a negative impact on water quality .
The success of the Piasa Creek Watershed Project would not have been
possible without Illinois American Water, which has been the primary
contributor
. These funds have helped attract state and national recognition
and grant dollars.
Numerous sediment reduction projects have been
implemented as a result of Illinois American's contributions
. It is my
understanding that ending the direct discharge "off-set" will eliminate the
largest funding source for the maintenance/upkeep of these kinds of projects
by Great Rivers
.
Finally, if Illinois American is forced to change the way it processes river
water, as has been suggested, the company would have to undertake a
costly, major reprocessing effort which may result in higher water rates for
area consumers, which today would add only an additional burden upon
Madison County residents who are facing already high utility and gasoline
costs .
Alan J
. Dunstan, Chairman
MADISON
157 N . Main
COUNTY
St., STE .
165
BOARD
JOSEPH D. PARENTE
EDWARDSVILLE, IL 62025-1963
Director of
(618) 296-4341
FAX (618) 692-7476
Administration
E-mail : coboard@co.madison
.il .us
ORIGINAL
RECE
I VE
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MAY 2
1
2007
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I strongly support Illinois American's petition for the adjusted standard
.
Sincerely,
Alan J . Durfstan
Chairman, Madison County Board
cc
: The Honorable Illinois State Senator William Haine
The Honorable Illinois State Representative Dan Beiser
The Honorable Mayor Don Sandidge, Alton
Thomas Andryk, IEPA Legal Counsel
Bradley Hiles
Alison Nelson
2
