Openlands Project, the Campaign for Sensible Growth and Metropolitan Planning
Council will co-release a comprehensive report on water quality and quantity
issues in northeastern Illinois on Dec. 16, 2004, in downtown Chicago.
Changing Course: Recommendations for Balancing
Regional Growth and Water Resources in Northeastern Illinois is the outcome
of a year-long collaborative study, funded by the Joyce Foundation, to examine
the relationship between development practices and water quality and quantity
management in 12 Illinois counties: Boone, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane,
Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, McHenry, and Will. The report recommends
improvements to state policies, regional watershed planning, and local
ordinances that affect water.
At the meeting, the three organizations will recognize the Illinois
Environmental Protection Agency for its work toward revamping its oversight of
wastewater treatment areas, called facility planning areas.
“Changing Course is only the beginning of our
strategy to improve water quality and quantity management in northeastern
Illinois,” said Ellen Shubart, manager, Campaign for Sensible Growth. “In the
coming months and years, we intend to set into motion many of the report’s
recommendations, such as educating communities and developers on best management
practices, identifying watershed planning models, and helping create a statewide
watershed program.”
What: Media event to release
Changing Course: Recommendations for Balancing Regional Growth and Water
Resources in Northeastern Illinois
NOTE: After the event, media are
encouraged to dial in to an audio news conference led by the authors of
Changing Course
, who will highlight the
report’s main points and field questions.
Who:
(speaking at the
presentation)
Steve Shadley, Environment Reporter, Chicago Public
Radio, will moderate the following panel:
Scott Goldstein, Vice President of
Policy & Planning, Metropolitan Planning Council;
Joyce O’Keefe,
Associate Director and Policy Director, Openlands Project;
Renee Cipriano,
Director, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency;
Bill Sturm, Principal,
Serena Sturm Associates;
Martin Jaffe, Professor, University of Illinois at
Chicago’s
College
of
Urban Planning and Public
Affairs
(also speaking at the audio news conference)
Scott Goldstein and
Joyce
O’Keefe
When/Where:
Thursday, Dec. 16, 2004
8:30 to 10:30 a.m.: Report release and IEPA recognition at AT&T, 227
W. Monroe St.,
14th
Floor, Liberty Room, Chicago
11:00 a.m.
to noon: Audio news
conference,
dial-in at 800-458-9009, passcode 825396.
Changing Course
is available on an embargo basis. Contact
Mandy Burrell at 312-863-6018 for information.