November

14, 2008

Illinois

John

Therriault,PollutionAssistant

Control Board

Clerk

RK’S

01

OFFICE

u

100 West Randolph Street,

Suite

11-500

Chicago, Illinois 60601

8

2008

RE Rule

Making R08-009

OIbjr

STA’rF

OF

Control

ILUN

Board

Dear Illinois Pollution

Control Board:

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

canoer,

and a person who

enjoys

nature,

especially our Forest

Preserves, I

think it is critical that:

o

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

Forest Preserve

District,

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 once-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.

Thank you,

John Sheerin

10336 S. Lavergne

Oak Lawn, IL.

60453

Telephone:

708-636-9184