August
29,
2009
John
Therriault,
Assistant
Clerk
Illinois
Pollution
Control
Board
j
‘
Suite
11
-500
‘>
LE
RE:
Rule
Making
R08-009
\
009
°lILflfr
‘
Dear
Illinois
Pollution
Control
Board:
‘COfl,O,
‘-“S
°arcJ
On behalf
of the
Lean
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 citizen
of Illinois
and
a recreational
canoeist,
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,
Mary
Jane L
4941
N.
Oconto
Ave.
Harwood
Heights,
IL
60706
708-867-6317
August
28, 2009
CLERKS
OFFICE
John
Therriault,
Assistant
Clerk
AUG
3i
2UOq
Illinois
Pollution
Control Board
STATE
OF
ILLINOIS
100
West Randolph
Street,
Suite 11-500
OIlutton
Control
Board
Chicago,
Illinois
60601
RE Rule
Making
R08-009
Dear Illinois
Pollution
Control Board:
On behalf
of
Thomas
and Deirdre
Graziano, 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
property
owner in
the Ravenswood
Manor neighborhood
50 feet from
the 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 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.
/7
Thank
you,
I
(92
‘‘
“
‘2 2? —1
‘