McHenry County Blog

An email from the McHenry County Environmental Defenders:

Member Action Alert

Please call your legislators about fracking in Illinois today!

Today the Illinois House Executive Committee is expected to consider SB1715, which contains measures to regulate high-volume horizontal fracturing, or “fracking” for gas in Illinois.

The Environmental Defenders and the Illinois Environmental Council, of which we are a part, oppose fracking in Illinois. Fracking poses grave dangers to our communities, land, air, and water; and contributes to the continued destabilization of our climate.

The safest and smartest way to protect ourselves would be to immediately enact a moratorium to allow for thorough study of the risks of fracking and to learn from the experiences in other states and major health studies currently underway.

Sadly, fracking is legal in our state today, and evidence suggests that in fact it is already occurring, putting our citizens and environment at grave risk.

With dangerous fracking likely already underway in Illinois, it is urgent that the act General Assembly before adjourning the Spring session.

So please call your legislators at their Springfield offices (numbers listed below) to make the following points:

1. Even though the two bills that would have placed a 2 year moratorium on fracking are dead, we still ask that they institute such a moratorium.
2. If a moratorium is simply not possible, we ask that they support SB1715, which contains strong regulations for controlling fracking.
3. Point out how imperative it is that they act before they leave Springfield for the summer. Otherwise fracking companies may simply move in and begin fracking in our state under our current pre-World War II era oil and gas regulations.

Legislators for McHenry County:

• Representative Mike Tryon: (217) 782-0432
• Representative Jack Franks: (217) 782 -1717
• Representative Barb Wheeler: (217) 782 – 1664
• Senator Pam Althoff: (217) 782 – 8000
• Sen. Karen McConnaughay (217)-782-1977

(if you do not live in McHenry County, please go to www.ilga.gov to find your legislators)

Please call today!

Thank you for helping to protect our communities and environment in Illinois.
= = = = =
I note that the Defenders have left out three legislators who represent parts of McHenry County:

• Senator Dan Duffy
• Representative Dave McSweeney
• Representative Tim Schmitz

It is also my understanding that McHenry County’s well water supply is not threatened by fracking. I have heard of no gas or oil reserves under our ground.

A press release from the McHenry County Defenders:

5th Annual “It’s Our River Day” September 15

The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County and The Village of Algonquin are sponsoring the 5th annual “It’s Our River Day” celebration and clean-up.

The Fox River was low the day the Algonquin Founders Day Parade took place.

The event will be held on Saturday, September 15, 2012 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Cornish Park in Downtown Algonquin at the intersection of S. Harrison and Route 62 (at the dam).

It’s Our River Day, a statewide celebration, kicks off in Algonquin with speakers at 1:00 p.m., including a welcome by a Village representative. Brief presentations will be given by Gary Swick, Friends of the Fox River, Cindy Skrukrud, Sierra Club, Jodie Auliff, The Illinois Water Trailkeepers from the Illinois Paddling Council and Prairie State Canoeists, and Bill Silva, Prairie Coast Paddlers.

The Prairie Coast Paddlers will give kayak demonstrations after the talks conclude and at 2:00 p.m. the clean up begins. The Illinois Water Trailkeepers from the Illinois Paddling Council and members from the Prairie State Canoeists will conduct an in-river clean up between Cornish Park and Buffalo Park. The Sierra Club will provide bags and gloves for the shoreline clean up. At 3:00 p.m., Friends of the Fox River will do water quality monitoring for those interested in learning. And, Gary Kanner of the Cub Scouts will hold geocaching for the kids.

Come celebrate the beautiful Fox River and help keep her clean while learning more about local environmental and conservation groups. The event is free and open to the public. Groups are welcome.

Mike Tryon’s plastic bag re-cycling bill was vetoed by Governor Pat Quinn.

The bill that State Rep. Mike Tryon passed to set State standards for re-cycling plastic bags got vetoed by Governor Pat Quinn over the weekend.

The report of the veto, a wish-fulfillment of 13-year old Abby Goldberg of Lake Zurich, ran in Monday’s Chicago Tribune.

Change.org got involved with an online petition.

Tryon, the House Sponsor of Senate Bill 3442, didn’t get a mention in the article.

Environmentalists opposed the bill because it prohibited local municipalities from imposing stricter rules than those set forth in the bill.

Lake County Democratic Party Chairman Terry Link was the Senate sponsor.

Locally, State Senator Pam Althoff voted for the bill. Colleague Dan Duffy did not. State Representatives Tryon and Kent Gaffney supported the measure, while Jack Franks voted “No.”

The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County sent out the following information from the Illinois Environmental Council on the bill:

This bill would have banned the municipal regulation of plastic bags, including community plastic bag bans, fees, and takeback programs.  This bill also would have created a statewide program for the recycling of plastic bags.  Read more about our concerns here.

As the Governor explained in his veto message, “Local authorities and the environmental community strongly oppose this program because the metrics are simply not aggressive enough and home rule preemption prevents more stringent local regulation.”

Last week, the Illinois Environmental Council released its 2012 scorecard.  Governor Quinn now has a 100% environmental record for the bills that he has taken action on during the 2012 session according to our scorecard.

Veto session is scheduled to begin November 27, 2012.  We will keep you updated to let you know whether the sponsor of this legislation moves to override the Governor’s veto.  Check out how your House and Senate members voted on this bill.

In the meantime, be sure to thank Governor Quinn for taking action to support the environment through the contact form on his website.

The press release below from the McHenry County Defenders, oops, the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County, reveals that the Illinois Environmental Council’s Executive Director Jennifer Walling will be in Downtown Crystal Lake Wednesday for supper with the Green Drinks Group:

Green Drinks Group Gathers on April 4th

CRYSTAL LAKE – The public is invited to join the Green Drinks McHenry County group on April 4th from 5pm-7pm at Duke’s Alehouse & Kitchen, 110 N Main Street in Crystal Lake.

This month’s presenter is Jennifer Walling, executive director of Illinois Environmental Council, which serves as the environmental community’s eyes, ears and voice in Springfield.

Since its founding in 1975 by a group of dedicated grassroots environmentalists, IEC has sponsored issue advocacy campaigns and projects. This has allowed environmental organizations to pool their resources to create a higher profile for our issues in Springfield and Washington D.C.

Green Drinkers at last April's gathering.

Pick up a drink or order some food at the bar before coming upstairs for info and inspiration, business and pleasure. Come talk about “greening” the future with others. Must be 21 to purchase alcohol – non-alcoholic drinks are available, of course!

There will be an information table set up, and you are welcome to bring information about your green products and services each month to share.

Additional parking is available at the train station.

Not only was State Rep. Jack Franks spanked by the Chicago Tribune Sunday, but Chuck Sweeney, the political columnist for the Rockford Register-Star took negative notice of his Com Ed tree removal legislation, House Bill 3884.

The Rockford Reg-ster-Star got "Chainsaw Jack" to blame his tree massacre bill on a constituent concerns for a four-day power outage after last summer's storm.

After hostile reaction from those who consider quality of life quite an important reason for living in McHenry County, Franks has figured out his bill to allow chainsawing every tree within 20 feet of an electric line “too severe.”

That sounds like his reaction to the blowback from his co-sponsorship of the bill to allow red light cameras.

He even features a video on his web site on the issue.

It reminds me the “NOT ME”-themed cartoons of Family Circus.

Opposition came from municipal leaders, the McHenry County Defenders the Fleming Road Alliance and The Land Conservancy of McHenry County.

The Land Conservancy of McHenry County had this to say about "Chainsaw Jack" Franks' bill- "From community character and property rights perspectives, this bill is a disaster. If passed, it has the potential to literally destroy the character of communities by giving the power companies the right to REMOVE trees that they deem a hazard -- regardless of whether or not that tree might be a 200 year old oak that was there long before their company (or the state of Illinois) even existed." "

The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County picked up on the email alert from Lisa Haderlein of The Land Conservancy of McHenry County and sent our one of their own, which you see in part below:

“There is a bill in the Illinois House that would give the electric utilities the authority to remove any trees that can grow taller than 25 feet and are growing within 20 feet of their lines.”

Haderlein characterized the bill as “the ComEd Clear Cut bill.”

Franks told Sweeney, ““I’m not happy with the way it was drafted, that’s why I didn’t call it for a vote,” said Franks.”

Right.

The outcry from your constituents and potential constituents had nothing to do with your rapid retreat, your backing and filling.

The Chicago Tribune used the same movie title in one of its editorial headlines about "Chainsaw Jack" Franks' Com Ed clearcut bill.

The final two sentences in Sweeney’s column about his talk with “Chainsaw Jack” seems to refer to McHenry County Blog:

“Franks strongly objects to some bill opponents who are calling him ‘Chain Saw Jack.’

“’I don’t want to have clear-cutting going on,’ he said. ‘I live on a farm with a forest in back. No one can question my conservation credentials.’”

Well, maybe it’s not Franks’ “conservation credentials” that should be questioned.

Maybe it’s his judgment.

But, if the tool fits, maybe the nickname is appropriate.

What an argument for term limits and, lacking that, a Republican opponent who will knock on the door of every home with a tree within 20 feet of a power line and tell the owner, “‘Chainsaw Jack’ introduced a bill that wold have allowed Commonwealth Edison to chop down your tree without even telling you, let alone getting your permission.”

A press release from the Environmental Defenders:

Local Environmental Group Celebrates 42nd Anniversary

WOODSTOCK – The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County will be celebrating their 42nd year of working to protect and preserve the environment in the county at their Annual Meeting and Theta Award Ceremony on Sunday, March 11th. The event will be held at the Loyola University Retreat and Ecology Campus, 2710 S. Country Club Road, Woodstock, beginning at 5:00 p.m. with social time, a raffle and silent auction prior to dinner at 5:30 pm.

Following the dinner, the Defenders will present their annual Theta Award.

Theta is the eighth letter of the Greek alphabet, and has come to be a symbol of the threat of pollution to Earth and its atmosphere. It is usually displayed on a flag of green stripes, representing unspoiled land and white stripes denoting pure air.

In 1970, the Defenders chose this symbol and title for their award honoring an individual or group who has shown an outstanding commitment to improving the environment of McHenry County.

The program for the evening begins at 7:00 p.m. Tim Loftus of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and Nancy Tuchman of Loyola University will speak on the importance of watershed planning and its application for sustainability on the Loyola Ecology Campus.

The public is invited to attend. Tickets may be purchased on the Defenders’ website at www.mcdef.org through March 1st. The cost of $40 for non-members includes a one-year family membership. The program alone is free with advanced reservations. Contact the Defenders’ office at 815-338-0393 or mcdef@owc.net to RSVP or for more information.

$35 gets you into the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County Octoberfest at Duke’s Ale House in Crystal Lake Sunday afternoon.

Harvest food, too.

If I read the invitation correctly, only the first 100 can come.

A press release from the Defenders:

DEFENDERS’ RECYCLING DRIVE IN MCHENRY September 10th

Recycling Drive accepts fluorescent tubes, electronics, Styrofoam™, more!

McHENRY – On Saturday, September 10th, the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County will conduct a recycling collection for

• fluorescent tubes,
• Styrofoam™,
• electronics, and
• batteries

from 9 a.m. until noon at the Metra Station parking lot, 4005 Main Street, in McHenry. They continue to collect certain items which would be harmful to the environment if put in a landfill, and which are not taken by curbside programs.

Defenders picked up trash at the end of the 2010 Labor Day Parade in Lake in the Hill.s

The Defenders’ Recycling Drive accepts rechargeable batteries, car batteries, lithium and button batteries. The Defenders also collect fluorescent tubes, clean white Styrofoam™, VHS & Cassette tapes, CDs, DVDs, packing peanuts and re-usable, unpopped bubble wrap. A donation is requested for fluorescent bulbs and batteries that are brought in to offset the costs involved in processing these items. Electronics such as computers, phones, printers, and electronic toys, are accepted. TVs and computer monitors will be accepted for a donation. At the McHenry collection, the Defenders also accept and pay for aluminum cans.

The Defenders hold a recycling drive on the second Saturday of each month, alternating between McHenry in odd-numbered months and Woodstock in even-numbered months. Area residents may drive up and drop off their recyclables with Defenders’ volunteers, who help to unload and sort the materials.

For more information about the recycling schedule and the types of materials accepted at each location, visit the Defenders’ website at www.mcdef.org or phone 815-338-0393.

The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County is a 41-year-old citizen-based, 501c3 not-for-profit organization, dedicated to the preservation and improvement of the environment. The group provides community residents with educational programs and volunteer action on pollution prevention, sustainable land use and energy and natural resource conservation.

A press release from the Fox River Ecosystem Partnership:

Public Talk and Natural Area Tour
Restoring Local Natural Resources
FREP Noon Network on Wednesday, August 17 in Oakwood Hills

Attend an event on Wednesday, August 17, Noon to 1:30 p.m. to learn about a current local community effort to restore a natural area and the benefits it will provide to the community and the environment.

The Fox River Ecosystem Partnership (FREP) hosts a bi-monthly FREP Noon Network that will begin at the Oakwood Hills Park pavilion off of North Park Dr. in Oakwood Hills.

Oakwood Hills Village Trustee, Kerry Leigh, will share information on her work with the Village of Oakwood Hills to restore 20 acres of savanna habitat in the community park adjacent to the Oakwood Hills Fen Nature Preserve.

Oakwood Hills Fen. Photo from The Fox River Ecosystem Partnership.

Steve Byers, Field Representative with the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission will lead a tour of the fen wetland, one of the rarest types of wetlands in the U.S.

Bring your lunch to enjoy at the pavilion where you can learn about restoration efforts to remove invasive plant species that will improve the health of the natural area and allow easier access to a portion of the park for passive recreational activities. Attendees will also learn how a partnership with McHenry County Conservation District and financial assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service helped to make this project possible. Steve Byers will provide information on the unique natural resources associated with nearby Oakwood Hills Fen Nature Preserve.

After the presentation, Kerry Leigh and Steve Byers will lead the tour of the restoration area and nearby Oakwood Hills Fen Nature Preserve.

The program is open to the public and is one of the regular bi-monthly FREP Noon Network lunchtime programs providing an opportunity for FREP members and other interested people to discuss Fox River Watershed-related topics and learn more about environmental projects and programs.

There is no charge and reservations are not necessary. People are encouraged to bring their lunch to eat during the program. Wear comfortable walking shoes if you plan to join the tour.

The event is co-sponsored by the Village of Oakwood Hills and the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County.

This program is part of a current effort to help protect water quality and watershed health in the Silver Creek and Sleepy Hollow Creek watersheds in southeastern McHenry County.

A watershed is an area of land that drains water into a common receiving body such as a stream. Oakwood Hills is within the Silver Creek Watershed. These watersheds are part of the larger Fox River Basin. To learn more, visit http://foxriverecosystem.org/planning.htm .

Directions: The park is located several blocks east of the village hall located at 3020 North Park Dr., Oakwood Hills. Turn south just past Oakwood Dr. to enter the parking lot. Walk south to the nearby pavilion.

For more information, call 815-338-0393 or send an e-mail to atershedinfo@mcdefenders.net.

The watershed planning activities are being funded by Section 604(b) of the Clean Water Act by way of a grant from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Bureau of Water, to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.

A press release from the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County:

ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENDERS ASSISTING IN GROUNDWATER STUDY

WOODSTOCK – The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County are providing assistance to the Illinois State Water Survey in a study of the County’s groundwater system.

In the 1990’s the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) conducted a study in which the water level in about 600 McHenry County wells was measured. The wells, mostly residential, were located throughout the county and were individually visited by ISWS staff who measured the water level in each well.

This data enabled the ISWS to map the water levels in our sand and gravel aquifers and resulted in the publication, in 1998, of a landmark study titled “Groundwater Studies for Environmental Planning, McHenry County Illinois” by Scott Meyer.

This study greatly increased the understanding of the county’s groundwater resources and served as the basis for much of the later research into the County’s groundwater supply, including that used in preparation of the County’s current Water Resources Action Plan.

Now, the County and the ISWS are in the process of updating the Meyer study.

This appears to be the deep aquifers that were mapped in 1994 by the Illinois Water Survey.

This update will show what changes have occurred in groundwater levels during the past 17 –21 years, and will also enable verification of recent groundwater flow modeling techniques.

To develop the new data, ISWS staff must re-measure the water levels in as many of the 600 previously measured wells as possible.

The measurement is free and can be performed with or without the homeowner present, depending on their preference.

It will take about 15 minutes during which ISWS staff will remove the cap of the well, lower a disinfected steel measuring tape, calculate the water depth, reattach the well cap and replace rusted nuts and bolts as needed.

The ISWS needs to secure permission from well owners, which is a very time consuming process as people have moved and phone numbers have changed.

The Environmental Defenders have volunteered to contact well owners to secure permission for ISWS to measure water levels.

During the next few weeks, Defenders members will be telephoning or hand delivering messages to addresses that previously had well levels measured. For more information, please contact the Defenders’ office at 815-338-0393 or at mcdef@owc.org.

The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and improvement of the environment. The group provides community residents with educational programs and volunteer action on pollution prevention, sustainable land use and energy and natural resource conservation. Donations are encouraged and are tax-deductible as charitable contributions.