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come out
and pay
Dear Illinois
Pollution Control Board:
CLERK’S
OFFICE
OCTi
3
2oog
On behalf of the Chicago Park District,
I am writing to express support for
the
Illinois
Environmental Protection
Agency’s proposal
for new water quality
standards for the Chicago Area
Waterways.
As
one
of the primary providers of recreational
opportunities
on the Chicago
Area Waterways, the Chicago
Park District has a strong interest in continued
improvements
to water quality in the river system.
The Chicago
Park
District manages over
300
acres
of parkland along the Chicago
River. Our riverfront
parks contain five canoe launches, one motorized
boat
ramp and
several miles ofjogging and bicycle
paths. There are three parks with
official fishing stations,
and informal fishing occurs in several others
as well.
Our concession program features
a canoe and kayak rental facility in Richard
Clark Park on the
North Branch, and our Nature Oasis program offers
guided
paddling tours of the river
system for Chicago families.
We also have over
37 acres of natural areas along the river system that
provide
habitat
for wildlife and opportunities for Chicago residents
to enjoy nature in
the
city.
We have plans to develop additional parkland
along the river system in
the
coming years, with
additional
access for paddling, rowing, fishing
and biking
along the river.
We commend the Illinois EPA
for its efforts to protect the people and wildlife
that use the river
system, and to continue to make improvements in river
water
quality.
Sincerely,
inJl
/
General Superintendent
and CEO
(
Chicago Park District
chicago park district
October
8,
2009
John Therriault,
Assistant Clerk
Illinois Pollution Control Board
100 West Randolph Street,
Suite
11-500
Chicago, Illinois 60601
RE: Rule Making R08-009
STATE
OF
ILLINOIS
POlItj
Control
Board
Administration
Office
541
North
Fairbanks
Chicago,
Illinois 60611
(312)
742-PLAY
(312)
747-2001
TTY
www.chicagopaikdistrict.com
Board of Commissioners
Gery
J.
Chico
President
Bob
Pickens
Vice
President
Dr.
Margaret T. Burroughs
Dr. Scott Hanlon,
DO.
M. Laird Koldyke
Reverend Daniel Matos-Rcal
Rouhy
J.
Shalabi
General Superintendent
& CEO
Timothy
J.
Mitchell
City of Chicago
Richard M.
Daley
Major