Prairie River Notes a Publication of Prairie Rivers Network Volume 8, Issue 3 the Illinois Affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation Fall 2006
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Prairie River Notes A publication of Prairie Rivers Network Volume 8, Issue 3 The Illinois Affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation Fall 2006 1st Annual Rolling River Ride Big Success On Labor Day weekend, 127 adults, 40 children and 155 fielded a team of enthusiastic riders to boot. Presenting volunteers participated in the first annual Rolling River Sponsors included the Beacon News in Aurora, the Courier Ride for the Illinois Environment. The event, which was News in Elgin, Z Frank Chevrolet and LaSalle Bank from underwritten by the Grand Victoria Chicago and philanthropist and and Lumpkin Family Foundations, PRN supporter Michael Scully from raised over $75,000 to support the Springfield. Lead Sponsors included work of Prairie Rivers Network, the the Boston Foundation Philancon Illinois Environmental Council, and Fund. the Illinois Stewardship Alliance. The weekend kicked off Friday Fifty-six sponsors and activity night with a VIP reception at the partners contributed time, money, Homestead Bed and Breakfast and volunteers to make the ride hosted by PRN Board member and the eco-expo a success. The Brian Anderson and his wife Karen. Title Sponsor was the Rush-Copley Saturday morning dawned clear and Medical Center in Aurora who also crisp with perfect weather for riding. helped market and staff the event and (continued on page 6) PRN Annual Dinner - Nov. 3rd practical guidelines for managing and restoring natural resources and wilderness areas. Prairie Rivers’ annual dinner will be held on Friday, November 3rd at the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Foreman will discuss the innovative concept of “rewilding Urbana. Last year we had a record turnout of over 300 conservation” detailed in his recent book “Rewilding North people. Help us have another great year by bringing friends America: A Vision for Conservation in the 21st Century” and family and introducing them to Prairie Rivers Network. and inspire us to achieve healthier, more diverse river ecosytems in Illinois for the humans, wildlife and other Our speaker this year is Dave living things dependent upon them. Foreman whose commitment to conservation began as a child PRN’s annual dinner is a fun and entertaining evening exploring the beauty of New that allows us to personally thank all of our members for their generous support and Mexico’s vast landscape. From In This Issue his early beginnings as an Eagle dedication to Illinois’ rivers Scout and grassroots organizer, and streams. It is also an Surface Discharging Septics .....2 to his work with several national opportunity for our members Mississippi River Restoration organizations, Foreman has to network and share ideas. Program......................................3 been a passionate leader in Recommend Outstanding Invitations have been mailed. environmental conservation Resource Waters! ......................4 For more information, please for over 35 years. In 2003, Nominations for River Steward/ contact us at 217-344-2371 or he co-founded the Rewilding Great Lakes Compact ................5 [email protected]. Institute, a nonprofit organization that is bringing together Introducing Brad Walker ...........6 conservation biologists, citizens, and resource management We hope to see you and a Membership Info/Update ..........7 agencies for the purpose of designing scientifically-based, friend there! Calendar ............................. back www.prairierivers.org Surface Discharging Septics-Still a Problem Prairie Rivers Network Protecting Illinois’ Streams In June of this year, the Illinois between 20 and 60%. Failing systems Environmental Protection Agency issued discharge minimally-treated or untreated ... strives to protect the rivers a draft permit under the National Pollutant sewage, along with disease causing and streams of Illinois and to promote the lasting health Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) organisms it may contain, directly to the and beauty of watershed that would regulate surface discharging ground surface or to a body of water. communities. septic systems throughout the state for the Larger surface discharging systems first time. This was a direct result of efforts (systems serving several houses) have been By providing information, by Prairie Rivers Network, the Sierra Club, regulated by IEPA since 1997. Results of sound science, and hands-on assistance, Prairie Rivers helps and the Environmental Law and Policy monitoring required of these systems show individuals and community Center over the past two years to regulate that they frequently do not meet permit groups become effective river the use of these systems. Until now, these effluent limits, highlighting the need for conservation leaders. systems—that discharge treated wastewater regulation of this type of system as a means directly to the ground’s surface, a collection of protecting water quality and public Board of Directors tile, a drainage way, or a body of water— health. Jon McNussen, President have been operating without NPDES Charles Goodall, Treasurer Opponents of IEPA’s new permit and the permits, in violation of the Clean Water Act. Brain Anderson The draft permit sets limits on the amount accompanying monitoring requirements, of pollution that can be discharged by these including the Onsite Wastewater Clark Bullard systems and requires them to be tested Professionals of Illinois, a trade group, Dan Deeb twice per year to ensure that systems are and some local health departments, Eric Freyfogle functioning as they should and not allowing have objected to the regulation of these Carolyn Grosboll untreated waste or dangerous pathogens to systems, and have enlisted the assistance be discharged to local waters. of a few state lawmakers. There has been Bruce Hannon coverage of the issue in at least five central Jason Lindsey Surface discharging systems are prevalent Illinois newspapers, much of it containing Ward McDonald in some parts of Illinois, particularly misleading or inaccurate information. IEPA rural areas with soils that are unsuitable plans to hold several public hearings on the Michael Rosenthal for traditional subsurface septic systems. draft permit late this year. Prairie Rivers Virginia Scott The Illinois Department of Public Health Network staff will attend these hearings to estimates that there are around 140,000 continue to press for IEPA to comply with Staff active systems in the state, with nearly the Clean Water Act and regulate these Jean Flemma - Executive 5,000 more installed annually. point source discharges of pollutants, but Director local citizen support is also important. Kim Erndt - Watershed When properly maintained, surface For more information about how you can Organizer discharging systems can adequately support the new rules to require proper Glynnis Collins - Watershed treat domestic sewage and wastewater. monitoring and maintenance of these Scientist Unfortunately, studies have shown that systems, visit our website at Traci Barkley - Watershed these systems are often not operated www.prairierivers.org. Scientist properly, resulting in a failure rate of Stacy James - Clean Water Program Coordinator Brad Walker - Mississippi River Restoration Coordinator Vickie Nudelman - Office Manager/Fundraising Associate Marise Robbins-Forbes - Director of Development Cecily Smith - Special Projects Coordinator Anna Puchalski - Support Staff 2 Prairie Rivers Network Mississippi River Restoration Program until the late 1960s when a greater focus on environmental protection developed and national pollution laws were established. Efforts to address specific degradation caused largely by Corps engineered impoundment structures began in the middle 1970s and were formalized through the establishment of the Environmental Management Program (EMP) in 1986. The EMP, also managed by the Corps, has been constructing restoration projects along the river since then, spending about $15 million per year. Boat Riders on the Mississippi After 20 years of EMP restoration efforts on the UMRS most experts believe that the river is not recovering but is The Mississippi River is one of the most noticeable and instead continuing to degrade and will require significant important landforms of North America. It is a huge natural increases in funding for restoration efforts to be successful. feature that has imposed itself upon the landscape for Over the last decade or so the Corps has been developing millennia, especially during frequent periods of flooding, the Navigation and Environmental Sustainability providing incalculable benefits to the watershed. The river Program (NESP), which has been promoted as a means has also had immeasurable influence upon the development to increase restoration funding to potentially $100 of the United States since Europeans began to explore, million per year, while also spending several billions on exploit resources, and colonize the middle areas of the additional navigation improvements and lock expansions continent. Providing reliable navigational access to the to accommodate projected increased commercial traffic. river to support resource extraction has been an important Because a projected increase in traffic is uncertain, major criterion for this development. In the middle of the lock expansions and navigation upgrades have been the 19th century the task to manage the river, primarily for subject of intense debate, but authorization of this project is navigation purposes, was given to the US Army Corps of imminent. Engineers (Corps) and the Corps has spent a significant portion