Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat News
The Newsletter of the Great Lakes
Aquatic Habitat Network and Fund
Volume 10, Number 3 • May-July 2002
Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat NewsThe Newsletter of the Great Lakes
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by Joel Brammeier
Lake Michigan Federation
A local community’s plans for Lake Calumet in southeast Chicago are facing a new challenge. In the last issue of Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat News, we reported that several community groups had partnered with local environmental organizations to form a coalition supporting an ecologically sound vision for the lake’s future. Soon after publication of that article, Lake Calumet, the only inland lake in Illinois hydrologically connected to Lake Michigan, became a target for, marina development.
The Lake Michigan Federation became aware in early May that the Illinois International Port District (IIPD), the state agency that controls the Lake Calumet shoreline, had requested a “letter of permission” (LOP) from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) for construction of a new 1000-slip powerboat marina. IIPD is required to have a permit under Section 10 of the federal Rivers and Harbors Act to perform any marina construction. Standard procedure for obtaining this permit calls for an application to the Corps followed by a public comment period. The LOP, if issued, would allow the work to begin without IIPD being subjected to public scrutiny under the individual permit application process.
The problem with IIPD’s request is that the LOP process can only be used if the proposed work “would not have significant individual and cumulative impacts on environmental values, and should encounter no appreciable opposition” [Code of Federal Regulations 33, Part 325]. The Federation and its partner groups in the coalition quickly determined that their presence in the Calumet region, supported by thousands of members, was enough to mount an appreciable opposition to the project. In addition, strong arguments can be made that the cumulative impacts of a 1000-slip marina for powerboats on migratory bird habitat, fish habitat, and water quality will indeed be significant.
Coalition partners and organizational members flooded the Chicago District Corps office with queries as to why they were being shut out of this process. In addition, coalition members with contacts in Chicago offices of state and federal agencies called and asked these offices to put pressure on the Corps to deny the LOP.
While the Corps has not made a final decision, it appears that local efforts have had a significant impact. Perhaps even more importantly, the City of Chicago’s Department of Environment, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency all requested that the Corps deny the LOP and move forward with the individual permit process subject to full public review.
IIPD is attempting to avoid public involvement in construction of this marina. As more is discovered about this project, it has become apparent that IIPD has a comprehensive plan for development of the Lake Calumet shoreline that does not end with the proposed marina. This is all the more reason for the process to be open to the public. For now, citizens of the region remain mobilized to safeguard this resource.
Several citizens’ groups around southern Lake Michigan released A Prescription for Healthy Beaches in May to help individuals understand what they can do to reverse the trend of mounting beach closures. The release coincided with the official opening of the Great Lakes beach season on the Friday before Memorial Day. The announcement follows Lake Michigan Federation research showing a record-high 601 beach closings in 2001 from bacterial pollution around Lake Michigan.
“Beach closings from bacterial pollution are reaching disturbing highs,” said Federation Executive Director Cameron Davis. “If we want Great Lakes beaches to continue to be a major national asset, there are easy things each of us can do in our lives to be part of the solution”. The Lake Michigan shoreline is a major international attraction, receiving an estimated 60 million visits annually in Chicago alone.
The Prescription suggests action steps individuals can take to keep beaches open. These steps include reduction of inputs into combined sewer systems, refuse management at beaches, and increased interaction with local beach management and health agencies. You can download the Prescription at www.lakemichigan.org/beach_center/prescription.pdf
Joel Brammeier |