Restoring the Natural Divide

Study Presents New Options For Restoring the Chicago River & Protecting Lake Michigan

Chicago Area Waterway

A much-anticipated study says separating the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins to prevent the spread of Asian carp and other invasive species is not only possible, but a natural step toward much-needed action to improve Chicago’s water infrastructure.

The study, Restoring the Natural Divide, offers real alternatives to simply closing the locks between the Chicago River and Lake Michigan.  Authored by the Great Lakes Commission and Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, the report shows that it is possible to stop aquatic invaders like Asian carp while enhancing transportation and stormwater management and improving water quality.

While Asian carp have been the public face of invasive species, they are among 39 species deemed “high risk” by the Army Corps of Engineers based on a propensity to invade and to inflict significant damage to new habitat.

Local and Federal Governments currently spend upwards of $200 million per year to control invasive species in the Great Lakes. Ending the continuing threat of transfer of these aquatic invaders through the Chicago River system will be essential to the region’s long-term economic well-being, and would complement plans for river restoration, increasing the value of Chicago’s second waterfront.

Restoring the Natural Divide not only provides valuable information for stakeholders working to improve the Chicago River system, but could inform and expedite the Great Lakes Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS), the Army Corps’ study of threats from invasive species.

“At last someone has identified solutions to the Asian Carp threat that will protect the Great Lakes and improve the Chicago River,” said Jack Darin, director of the Sierra Club, Illinois Chapter. “In Illinois we love both Lake Michigan and our rivers, and these are smart ideas that can work to protect and improve both. We urge the Army Corps and other leaders to study these solutions in more detail quickly, so we can get to work improving these waters for everyone’s benefit.”

To find out more about the study visit: http://www.glc.org/caws/

Normal to get “Revenge”? You bet!

Fisker Electric Sports Car outside the Chicago Premiere of "REVENGE OF THE ELECTRIC CAR" November 2011

No, we’re not advocating retaliation, just renewable electrification! This Thursday January 26^{th ,} Normal IL will host an EVening of EV’s as the hit movie “Revenge of the Electric Car” makes its way to the Normal Theater (encore showing Friday night). The event includes an EV gala with many of the newest electric cars on display, including the flashy Fisker and a Tesla Roadster that local Executive Producer Stefano Durdic will drive down from Chicago.  Following the 7pm screening there will be a panel discussion with Durdic, Normal Mayor Chris Koos and Joe Delello Mitsubishi’s Director of EV operations.

It’s becoming the norm in Normal to see electric vehicles cruise down Main street in this mid sized university town located about 130 miles outside of Chicago.  It is home to the only US Mitsubishi manufacturing plant, and has been dedicated 1,000 of the car company’s new electric vehicle called the “i”.  Normal is quickly earning its name EVtown as it plans and installs a robust network of charging stations.

Although you might not be able to distinguish an EV from a gas guzzler just by looking at it, a lack of noise (points for sneakability) and tailpipe emissions could help clue you in.  In President Obama’s 2011 State of the Union address, he set the goal of 1 million electric cars on the road by 2015. Now a year in, Illinois is doing its part to break our dependence on oil and move to cleaner sources of power generation, like the solar charging canopies I-GO car sharing is installing for 2012. The state of Illinois also offers residents a rebate of up $4,000 for electric vehicles and plug in hybrids from the Alternate Fuels Rebate Program.

For those who can’t make the EVening of EV’s in Normal, Revenge of the Electric Car is now out on DVD and a movie not to be missed.

More Event Details: http://bit.ly/normalEV

For more information on electric vehicles, check out Sierra Club’s Go Electric campaign.

Stop the Swap–Go to Bat for the Bats

How ironic that during the Year of the Bat, the Shawnee National Forest would propose a land exchange in which the Forest Service would trade away a 384-acre tract of land with a known endangered bat species to Peabody Coal, Co. for a strip mine! An Indiana bat maternity roost was found on the parcel and the endangered gray bat was also detected there.

A diamond in the rough, the Gallatin County parcel is one of the Shawnee’s best-kept secrets. Located just a few miles south of Shawneetown on the Saline River, it takes only one visit to this beautiful piece of land to know that it is providing critical habitat in a part of the state that has seen more than its fair share of human disturbance.

“The single-most important factor that leads to endangerment and extinction of species– and the one the Forest Service has the greatest influence over—is the alteration and loss of habitats.” US Forest Service, Threatened, Endangered & Sensitive Species Program.

In the proposed exchange the Forest Service would trade a parcel of approximately 384 acres in size for three tracts of ALH land, which adjoin FS land in Pope and Jackson Counties.

The federal parcel is entirely forested with bottomland and upland hardwoods, including swamp chestnut oak, American elm, red maple, sweetgum, maple, ash, tulip tree and the Forest’s largest and highest quality cherrybark oaks. It’s rare to find such a diverse bottomland forest habitat within the Saline River watershed, which is constantly being bombarded with clearing, mining, ditching and draining. Canoeist and anglers enjoy recreating in this section of the Saline River, while hikers, bird watchers and hunters enjoy the beautiful woodland.

The natural wonders alone should be ample reason for the Forest Service to hang on to this parcel, but the discovery of federally-endangered Indiana and gray bats should stop the swap. This past summer, gray bats were detected and one Indiana bat maternity roost was found on the site and 2 more maternity sites were found on FS land very near by. These are the only known Indiana bat maternity roosts known on the eastern half of the Forest.

The proposed land swap is in complete violation of the Endangered Species Act. The Endangered Species Act requires the Forest Service to “use all methods and procedures which are necessary” to preserve endangered species. The Forest Service is required by law to give the highest priority to the protection and recovery of endangered species.

The Shawnee National Forest is seeking scoping comments on this proposal to swap land-for-land with American Land Holdings (ALH), a subsidiary of Peabody Coal, Co. Let your voice  be heard–take action here!

LaSalle County Board Approves Starved Rock Sand Pit

January 12, 2012 – The LaSalle County Board today approved an application for a massive open pit sand mine next to Starved Rock State Park, despite objections from local residents and a growing outcry from citizens across the state who had urged the County to protect Starved Rock, prime farmland, and local residents from the impacts of the project.

“We’re very disappointed that LaSalle County has put Starved Rock at risk.  There are many places to mine sand, but there is only one Starved Rock,” said Jack Darin, Director of the Sierra Club, Illinois Chapter.

The mine site includes a state-recognized natural area, and would be adjacent to Starved Rock State Park.  The mine would pump millions of gallons of water per day for its operations, and those withdrawals threaten springs and marshlands within the Park.   In addition, water pollution from mine operations could drain through the Park, its ravines, and canyons, which are an important outdoor recreation asset for Illinois. Over two million people each year visit the state park, which recently celebrated the 100th anniversary of its protection.

Despite strong opposition from local residents and thousands of comments against the mine from around Illinois, the County Board appeared to give minimal consideration to concerns about the project.

“I am saddened and angered that the LaSalle County Board failed to recognize that Starved Rock is an important economic engine for the area. Instead they have jeopardized existing tourism jobs for a few new ones that promise to pollute our air and water while degrading the experience for all Starved Rock visitors,” said Tracy Fox, a Sierra Club member who attended today’s county board meeting.

In the wake of LaSalle County’s approval, the project now must be approved by state agencies that will examine the mine’s impacts on water quality, archeological resources, natural areas, and the state park.

“The fight to protect Starved Rock from this open pit mine is far from over,” said Darin.   “Starved Rock is one of Illinois’ most special places, and citizens across the state are rallying to protect it.”