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HR1560 |
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LRB095 22679 JDS 53089 r |
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| HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The Illinois House of Representatives recognizes |
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| the need to protect our Great Lakes from and remediate them of |
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| harmful sediments contaminated with PCBs, dioxin, mercury, and |
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| PAHs; these toxins are known to contaminate fish and may harm |
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| those humans who eat them; and
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| WHEREAS, Scientific studies link the presence of sediment |
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| contaminants to cancer, reproductive problems, lowered IQ's, |
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| and developmental delays; and
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| WHEREAS, The governments of the United States and Canada |
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| have recognized 43 highly polluted areas in the Great Lakes |
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| region, and 10 of these sites are located along or contribute |
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| to Lake Michigan, which provides drinking water for citizens of |
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| Illinois; and
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| WHEREAS, The Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2002 led to the |
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| removal of 126,000 pounds of lead, 2,800 pounds of cadmium, |
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| 204,000 pounds of chromium, and 320 pounds of PCBs from |
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| Muskegon Lake in Michigan, which is connected to Lake |
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| Michigan's eastern shore; and
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| WHEREAS, Under the Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2002, the U.S. |
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| EPA has successfully completed projects in Hog Island, |
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HR1560 |
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LRB095 22679 JDS 53089 r |
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| Wisconsin; Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; Black Lagoon, Michigan; |
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| Ashtabula, Ohio; and Ruddiman Creek, Michigan; has started a |
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| project in Kinnickinnic River, Wisconsin; and has planned |
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| projects in Buffalo River, New York; Grand Calumet, Indiana; |
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| Ryerson Creek, Michigan; Riverview, Michigan; Eighteen Mile |
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| Creek, New York; Ottowa River, Ohio; and Division St. Outfall, |
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| Michigan; and
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| WHEREAS, The reauthorization of funds for this program in |
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| the amount of $54 million annually is necessary to continue |
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| projects aimed at removing potentially harmful sediments; of |
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| these funds, the U.S. EPA would be authorized to use $50 |
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| million annually for contaminated sediments projects, $3 |
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| million annually for research into innovative remediation |
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| technologies, and $1 million annually for public outreach and |
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| education; therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE |
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| NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that |
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| the House of Representatives urges the President of the United |
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| States to sign the Great Lakes Legacy Reauthorization Act of |
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| 2008 (H.R. 6460) into law, thus allowing the continued funding |
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| of the program's efforts to clean up and improve the Great |
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| Lakes area; and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be |