Environmental Conditions of Illinois
Water Resources
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- The Waukegan Harbor area of Lake Michigan will be formally delisted as an Area of
Concern by the year 2000.
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 Waukegan
Harbor is Illinois' only Great Lakes "Areas of Concern" and
is also a Superfund site. The harbor was contaminated with PCBs from years
of industrial activity in the area. Harbor sediments were highly contaminated
and bioaccumulation resulted in contamination of fish residing in the
harbor. Special signs were placed warning the public not to consume fish
taken from the harbor. Subsequent to a settlement of Superfund litigation,
including a major cleanup commitment from the primary source of PCB contamination,
over a million pounds of PCB contaminated sediments were dredged from
the Harbor. A Citizens Advisory Group was formed and a Remedial Action
Plan has been developed to restore the Harbor to full attainment of all
uses. The Remedial Action Plan has been fully implemented. The project
is now in a monitoring stage to document the adequacy of the clean up
and elimination of any residual use impairment in preparation for formal
delisting as an Area of Concern. In February, the special public advisory
against human consumption of fish taken from the harbor was lifted based
on two years worth of post clean up monitoring data. Other monitoring
programs continue as the Agency is developing both data and criteria for
formal declassification as a Great Lakes Area of Concern.
Waukegan Harbor Citizens Advisory Group
A Waukegan Harbor Citizens Advisory Group (CAG) was organized in 1990 to advise the
State to help solve problems in the Area of Concern. The CAG is comprised of members from
industry, fishing interests, environmental interests, and residents. All stages of the
Waukegan Harbor Remedial Action Plan have had or will have extensive review by the CAG. |
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