A tour boat on the Chicago River. Photo: larrythebiker via Flickr
Here’s a milestone for the Chicago River: It’s no longer on a list of the most endangered rivers in the nation.
American Rivers each year reports on what the river advocacy group believes are the most endangered. It’s a call for action to save rivers facing critical tipping point.
The Chicago River was on the list for almost two decades, mostly because the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District spewed bacteria-filled sewage without disinfecting it.
For years the EPA and local environmental groups pushed city authorities to apply clean up technology since the water is widely used.
And in 2012 the Illinois Pollution Control Board and the water reclamation district agreed to add the disinfection step at plants by 2016. Part of the program is to use ultraviolet light and chlorine to kill germs.
“It is a major benchmark for success,” said Margaret Frisbie, executive director of Friends of the Chicago River. “It took us more then 15 years to convince sewage agencies that there is a need in balanced use of the river. In the past, the river was used mainly for sewage dumping but now it used for recreation of parks, paddling and many other purposes.”
The story of the Chicago River is promising, said Jessie Thomas-Blate, coordinator for Most Endangered Rivers at the American Rivers. “We are hopeful that Chicago will be a much better place with cleaner water.”
But while one river in the Great Lakes river came off the list, the Grand River in Ohio made its debut.
Natural gas processing is among the river’s threats, Thomas-Blant said.
“We called on the state authorities to ensure natural gas development and the disposal of the wastewater does not harm the river, its clean water and local communities,” she said.
American Rivers would like to clarify that we don’t “take rivers off” our list of America’s Most Endangered Rivers. Each year we list ten rivers that are facing a critical decision that year that could make or break the river. Last year a critical decision was being made for the Chicago River by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District and Illinois Pollution Control Board, which is why it was included on the list. They made a positive decision, and now the process has begun to move forward with disinfection. Further, the Chicago was not on our list for two decades. Finally, we have listed the Grand River in Ohio in 2012 due to the critical decisions being made by the legislature and Administration in Ohio regarding natural gas development. The Chicago River could end up on the list of Endangered Rivers again in the future if another critical decision is being made regarding the river’s fate.
Go to http://www.americanrivers.org for more information on our 2012 list.
Ok, maybe I’m parsing.
But if the Chicago River was on the list and the cleaner standard won’t happen until 2016, why would it come off the list now?
Is that having your ice cream before you eat your broccoli?
Gary Wilson