October
9,
2008
cLPçs
P
Illinois
John
Therriault,
Pollution
Assistant
Control
Board
Clerk
Stq
OCT
17
2008
100
West
Randolph
Street,
Suite
11-500
\
\i’
c
NOi
8
Chicago
Illinois
60601
nLrol
8
oard
RE:
Rule
Making
R08-009
Dear
Illinois
Pollution
Control
Board:
On
behalf
of
my
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 recreational
user
of
the
Chicago
River,
I think
it
is
critical
that:
•
The
Metropolitan
Water
Reclamation
District
disinfect
sewage
treatment
plant
effluent
to
kill
bacteria
and
protect
public
health
and
•
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 oi-ice-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
water
pollution
but
we know
that if
we
want
the
Chicago
River
to
continue
to
improve
and
serve
our
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,
55Lt
C
1
o-3i
Name:
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Address:
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Telephone:
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