Illinois House Approves Bold, New Great Lakes Environmental Protection Plan – A Task Force

(Springfield, IL) — The Illinois House of Representatives today voted 113-0 to create a new commission to protect the Great Lakes.

The House ok’d legislation, House Bill 5310 sponsored by State Rep. Patricia Bellock (R-Hinsdale), to establish the Task Force on the Conservation and Quality of the Great Lakes to promote the protection of the water quality of the Great Lakes (Lake Michigan right).

The proposed 10-member panel would, according to the legislation, “review and discuss”:

• Available federal funding for water improvement projects
• Water consumption and use
• Current and projected water levels
• Impact of invasive species on the ecosystem
• Current and proposed laws and regulations

In addition to the 10-members “reviewing and discussing” these topics, the task force would call upon experts, below, for more “reviewing and discussing” of lake sludge.

Once all the “reviewing and discussing” are complete, the task force would issue its first report by June 1, 2009. It will sink into oblivion on June 2, 2009.

The legislation is silent on whether the task force will undertake any “fact finding” missions (i.e. taking a collective jump in the lake) to test the waters. Hope they tote stain removers.

The bill appropriates no money for the panel’s “reviewing and discussing” activities–or for any lake protection or clean-up either.

Other well-meaning legislative sponsors include: State Reps. Harry Osterman, Dave Winters, Sid Mathias, Beth Coulson, Sandra Pihos, Paul Froehlich, Jack Franks, Mike Fortner, LaShawn Ford, Bob Biggins, Sandy Cole, Suzanne Bassi, Renée Kosel, JoAnn Osmond, Michael McAuliffe, Ron Wait, Harry Ramey, Robert Pritchard, Karen May and Patricia Reid Lindner.

The measure moves to the State Senate. Whether the plan is sent to a watery grave is uncertain. Gurgle, gurgle.