Full Text of HR1560 095th General Assembly
HR1560 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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| HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The Illinois House of Representatives recognizes | 3 |
| the need to protect our Great Lakes from and remediate them of | 4 |
| harmful sediments contaminated with PCBs, dioxin, mercury, and | 5 |
| PAHs; these toxins are known to contaminate fish and may harm | 6 |
| those humans who eat them; and
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| WHEREAS, Scientific studies link the presence of sediment | 8 |
| contaminants to cancer, reproductive problems, lowered IQ's, | 9 |
| and developmental delays; and
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| WHEREAS, The governments of the United States and Canada | 11 |
| have recognized 43 highly polluted areas in the Great Lakes | 12 |
| region, and 10 of these sites are located along or contribute | 13 |
| to Lake Michigan, which provides drinking water for citizens of | 14 |
| Illinois; and
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| WHEREAS, The Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2002 led to the | 16 |
| removal of 126,000 pounds of lead, 2,800 pounds of cadmium, | 17 |
| 204,000 pounds of chromium, and 320 pounds of PCBs from | 18 |
| Muskegon Lake in Michigan, which is connected to Lake | 19 |
| Michigan's eastern shore; and
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| WHEREAS, Under the Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2002, the U.S. | 21 |
| EPA has successfully completed projects in Hog Island, |
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| Wisconsin; Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan; Black Lagoon, Michigan; | 2 |
| Ashtabula, Ohio; and Ruddiman Creek, Michigan; has started a | 3 |
| project in Kinnickinnic River, Wisconsin; and has planned | 4 |
| projects in Buffalo River, New York; Grand Calumet, Indiana; | 5 |
| Ryerson Creek, Michigan; Riverview, Michigan; Eighteen Mile | 6 |
| Creek, New York; Ottowa River, Ohio; and Division St. Outfall, | 7 |
| Michigan; and
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| WHEREAS, The reauthorization of funds for this program in | 9 |
| the amount of $54 million annually is necessary to continue | 10 |
| projects aimed at removing potentially harmful sediments; of | 11 |
| these funds, the U.S. EPA would be authorized to use $50 | 12 |
| million annually for contaminated sediments projects, $3 | 13 |
| million annually for research into innovative remediation | 14 |
| technologies, and $1 million annually for public outreach and | 15 |
| education; therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 17 |
| NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 18 |
| the House of Representatives urges the President of the United | 19 |
| States to sign the Great Lakes Legacy Reauthorization Act of | 20 |
| 2008 (H.R. 6460) into law, thus allowing the continued funding | 21 |
| of the program's efforts to clean up and improve the Great | 22 |
| Lakes area; and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be |
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| delivered to the President of the United States and the members | 2 |
| of the Illinois Congressional Delegation.
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