U.S. Speaker Of The House J. Dennis Hastert Announces $10 Million Environmental Grant

Local Communities Sign Agreement to Remove Thorium from Kress Creek and the West Branch of the DuPage River

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 23, 2005

Contacts: Brad Hahn, 14th District, Illinois: (630) 406-1114
Bill Weidner, Forest Preserve District of DuPage County: (630) 871-6406
Diana Paluch, DuPage County: (312) 342-6147

DuPage County, the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, the City of Warrenville, the City of West Chicago and the West Chicago Park District today signed an historic Local Consent Decree and Agreement with Kerr-McGee for the cleanup and restoration of Kress Creek and the West Branch of the DuPage River.

As part of the ceremony to sign the historic agreement, U.S. Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert announced that the National Oceanic Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) will issue a $10 million grant that will enhance the clean-up efforts and expand the restoration work, complete environmental enhancements and supply additional resources to the remediation of Kress Creek and the West Branch of the DuPage River.

The NOAA grant will provide buffer enhancements, fund needed land acquisition for stream restoration and stabilization and wetland restoration. Other projects that may be included under the grant include a research hatchery, amphibian refugia, the reconfiguration of the West Branch River and the construction of backwater fisheries pools.

"Today marks the culmination of years of work on the part of many parties to ensure the complete clean up and restoration of Kress Creek and the West Branch of the DuPage River," Hastert said. "It demonstrates what is possible when citizens and leaders come together at all levels of government to meet a need in the community."

In the past week, each of the local communities enacted resolutions that described the actions these parties intend to take to clean up and restore the creek and river from an area near West Chicago’s Sewage Treatment Plant downstream to the McDowell Dam and in Kress Creek below the storm sewer discharge point and to the confluence of Kress Creek with the West Branch of the DuPage River. The finalized detailed cleanup and restoration plans were negotiated with Kerr-McGee and representatives of the local communities for protection of the public health and the environment.

A cornerstone of those plans is the cleanup of the creek and river to the identical standards as those used in the cleanup of West Chicago residential sites, Reed-Keppler Park and the Kerr-McGee Rare Earths Facility. The project’s scope will include the restoration of the excavated areas to stable and ecologically improved conditions acceptable to DuPage County, the Forest Preserve District, the West Chicago Park District, the City of West Chicago, the City of Warrenville and other property owners. The restoration process will include the planting of native species of plants, reforestation of upland habitats, wetland creations and the restoration of aquatic habitats for improved fisheries. The Conversation Foundation will serve a supportive role throughout the restoration process.

Although the entire project is expected to take up to five years, it is being divided into a series of segments with the expectation that each segment will be completed within a given construction season. These projects will involve removal of thorium residuals from the banks and streambeds and transport of the excavated materials to the Rare Earths Facility with shipment to a licensed disposal site in Utah. The project will be conducted under U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and local governmental oversight.

In fall of 2003, the U.S. government and Kerr-McGee finalized plans to ensure the safest cleanup and restoration of the creek and river. Kerr-McGee has submitted final contamination characterization data to the U.S. EPA. At the same time and under the review of the U.S. EPA, Kerr-McGee prepared a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study that explained the extent of the contamination and evaluated a range of cleanup options. The U.S. EPA received public comment for the recommended cleanup approach, and it will issue a Record of Decision that selects the final cleanup plan for the creek and river.

The milestone local agreement is an example of goodwill and common purpose between government and private entities that worked together to achieve a protective goal. U. S. Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert, the U. S. EPA, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Justice, the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the IEMA’s Department of Nuclear Safety and each of the local-governmental entities all played essential roles in reaching the agreement.

Speaker Hastert was joined at the podium by DuPage County Board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom, DuPage County Forest Preserve District President D. "Dewey" Pierotti Jr., Warrenville Mayor Vivian M. Lund, West Chicago Mayor Michael Fortner, Frank Lenertz, President of the West Chicago Park District and Greg Pilcher Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Kerr-McGee as they signed the Local Communities Consent Degree.

Also speaking at the event was Nancy Kiefer Assian, a West Chicago Alderman who spoke on behalf of the Thorium Action Group, a local citizen’s advocacy group, who laid the foundation for this agreement more than 20 years ago. Linda Kurzawa, DuPage County Board member introduced Ms. Assian and praised the group’s advocacy and tenacity in bringing this agreement to pass.

"Through the commitment and resolve of the Thorium Action Group, the support of Mayor Fortner, and the unprecedented cooperation of all the groups represented here today, we have been able to have these sites designated as official clean-up sites and we will be able not only to safeguard the public health but restore our environment as well. We all owe these dedicated citizens our gratitude." Ms. Kurzawa stated.

DuPage County Board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom and County Board Members, Forest Preserve District of DuPage County President D. Dewey Pierotti Jr. and District Commissioners and municipality leaders also helped lead the fight. "I applaud the cooperative relationships that persevered in the endeavor to clean up Kress Creek and the West Branch of the DuPage River," stated Schillerstrom. "This historic agreement will protect the public health and safety of DuPage County residents as well as protect a fragile ecosystem unique to the creek, river and environs. All parties involved, including federal and local government officials, county agencies and Kerr-McGee, should be commended for their efforts to move this agreement forward."

Schillerstrom also attributes the support and involvement of Speaker Hastert’s office as being crucial to the restoration agreement. "I am especially grateful to Speaker Dennis Hastert for his involvement in this project. His efforts to secure the $10 million National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) grant will provide many environmental enhancements and natural area and restoration developments along the West Branch of the DuPage River. It will achieve our shared vision for an ecologically improved and restored creek and river. DuPage County, the citizens of Illinois, and our country are indeed fortunate to have Speaker Hastert as our advocate and champion. "

Forest Preserve District President Pierotti and fellow commissioners have also championed the protection, restoration and stewardship of natural resources in forest preserves along the West Branch of the DuPage River. According to Pierotti, "Though the West Branch of the DuPage River will be disturbed during the excavation process, removing the thorium is essential to protecting the river’s long-term health. Thanks to Speaker Hastert’s involvement to secure the NOAA grant, restoration work can occur to make the river’s ecology even better than it is currently." Of the benefits of the thorium removal to a conservative cleanup standard, Pierotti continued, "The cleanup and NOAA grant present a unique opportunity for the Forest Preserve District and others to create a long-term vision that will perpetuate the river’s beauty. Significant restoration and enhancement of 8.5 miles of the West Branch of the DuPage River corridor along three forest preserves can occur."

Forest Preserve District President Pierotti also expressed his appreciation to Speaker Hastert, stating, "Speaker Dennis Hastert was instrumental in bringing the parties together to achieve an agreement that will benefit not only the people in the affected areas but also all of the residents of DuPage County."