Protecting our Local Habitats
On Monday, I had the opportunity to visit the Illinois Beach State Park to learn more about the ongoing environmental conservation projects taking place in the area. Lake County Forest Preserve received essential funding through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative which is helping to restore this habitat around Lake Michigan.
It is absolutely critical that we protect our environment and conserve it for generations to come. As a Troopmaster for the Boy Scouts, I believe that we must teach our children to respect the environment and all of our open spaces. In our region, Lake Michigan is the crown jewel of our ecosystem, and the work being done at the Illinois Beach State Park will help to ensure that we protect our Great Lakes and the surrounding habitats.
I have made protecting the environment a priority in Congress. The very first bill I introduced in the U.S. House was H.R. 435, the Great Lakes Water Protection Act, which protects Lake Michigan from waste water discharge. I was also given the “America’s Great Outdoors Congressional Champion” award by several environmental and conservation groups. In Congress, I have fought for funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
I applaud Lake County Forest Preserve for their efforts to preserve Lake Michigan and the surrounding habitat.
Chad
7:34 am on Thursday, May 17, 2012
The Sierra Club gave Dold an 'F' for his record on the environment. Says one thing here, goes and votes the other way in Washington and thinks we can't tell the difference. Check the facts: http://www.sierraclub.org/coal/reportcard/downloads/Illinois.pdf
Bruce Stromberg
10:08 am on Thursday, May 17, 2012
Illinois Beach State Park is a prize; we're really fortunate to be located so close. This article is confusing. The Lake County Forest Preserve District does not do work at Illinois Beach State Park, which is under the jurisdiction of the IL DNR. The DNR budget has been gutted in recent years, and it's difficult to say if the park is even keeping its head "above water" for natural area preservation.
Nightcrawler
10:16 am on Friday, May 18, 2012
I'm not a Dold fan, but the fault with this gaffe lies with whoever writes his press releases. The project is much larger than the release implies, and LCFPD does have a large parcel (Spring Bluff) within its boundaries, which extend from the South Unit of Illinois State Beach Park north through the Chiwaukee Prairie along the southern Wisconsin lakefront. Funding partners include the WI Nature Conservancy, UW Parkside, IL DNR, Zion Park District, City of Waukegan, Morton Arboretum and others.
RB
8:41 pm on Thursday, May 17, 2012
Mr. Dold voted to extend the Keystone pipeline. A true environmental disaster could result. By the way, the pipeline will send oil from Canada (an import) to Texas where they will refine it into gasoline and export it. Tell me, how in the world does that make sense? Risk our environment so Texas can export more gasoline? Really?
Ellen Beth Gill
1:00 pm on Saturday, May 19, 2012
Here is a detail of Dold's environmental votes: http://ellenofthetenth.blogspot.com/2012/05/dold-keeping-close-eye-on-environmental.html
Bruce Stromberg
5:02 pm on Monday, May 21, 2012
Nightcrawler, I appreciate the correction. What I learned since I posted is that this was a LCFPD sponsored event and all of this is part of a $1.3 Million Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant that a forest preserve staff person obtained for Chiwaukee, Spring Bluff, and IBSP.
Nightcrawler
5:18 pm on Monday, May 21, 2012
Thanks, Bruce. Hopefully we all appreciate that good work - much-needed work - continues to get done, regardless of who voted for or against it, or wants to take credit for it, etc.