December 18, 2008
ECEUVD
CLERK’S
OFFICE
John
Therriault,
Assistant
Clerk
DEC
2
3
2OU
Illinois
Pollution
Control
Board
Chicago,
100 West
Illinois
Randolph
60601
Street,
Suite
11-500
POUUt
STATE
IOfl
OF
Control
ILLINOI
8od
RE:
Rule
Making
R08-009
Dear
Illinois
Pollution
Control
Board:
As
a volunteer
with
the Friends
of the
Chicago
River,
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
volunteer
canoe
guide
and
recreational
canoeist!
kayaker,
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 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.
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,
Laura
J. West
4915
N. Wolcott
Aye,
Unit
3B
Chicago,
IL
60640
Ljwestl2@yahoo.com
(773)
620-6644