Environmental Progress - Summer 2005

Director's viewpoint

by Director Douglas P. Scott

Iwas honored to have been appointed Director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency by Governor Rod Blagojevich, effective July 1. Coincidentally, that was the 35th anniversary of the first official day for the Illinois EPA. This column in Environmental Progress provides an opportunity to introduce myself to many of you and to say hello to others I already know.

While I am a new Director of the Agency, I have been interacting with IEPA in my previous jobs for about 20 years, as Mayor of Rockford, Illinois State Representative and Rockford City Attorney. So, issues such as cleaning up and redeveloping brownfields sites, addressing complex Superfund sites, and making sure that infrastructure and procedures are in place for providing environmentally-responsible solid waste and wastewater disposal and clean drinking water supplies, have been a part of the portfolio of my previous jobs.

My new job is challenging and complex but I was fortunate to have something of a head start by knowing about many of the Agency's basic programs, and many veteran staff members. One of the first things I did after getting the appointment was to visit almost all of the Agency's regional offices around the state and meet with the frontline field staff. Both in our field offices and in the headquarters office in Springfield, the expertise of our technical and professional staff members, many of whom have two decades or more of experience, helps make this a great agency.

I am excited about working with and leading a staff where we will remain focused on the importance of protecting the environment and public health and doing something that is for the greater good — for our neighbors and the state — while also balancing our social and economic needs. I am also excited about continuing the initiatives started or expanded under Governor Blagojevich's administration the past few years.

For example, under Governor Blagojevich, we have new programs and legislation to expand the use of cleaner, renewable fuels, such as E-85 (ethanol) and biodiesel and, through the Governor's Clean School bus program, diesel bus pollutants are being reduced. Most hospital incinerators in the state have been shut down and the Governor is leading a regional strategy to reduce power plant emissions. We have also expanded our outreach to citizens to reduce everyday activities causing air pollution, such as our lawnmower exchange programs in the Chicago and East St.Louis metro areas.

Working with Governor Blagojevich's Opportunity Returns economic development initiative, IEPA has expanded the cleanup of brownfields and other contaminated sites. The Governor and the Legislature have also provided the resources for a record number of household hazardous waste collections and countywide used tire collections.

Governor Blagojevich's commitment to cleaner and safer water is being carried out with a greatly expanded program of evaluating and testing our surface waters through Total Maximum Daily Load analyses, expanded evaluation of groundwater for potential sources of contamination and mobilizing more citizen volunteers to clean up shorelines and prevent erosion.

During the first five weeks in my new job, for example, I joined Springfield leaders in kicking off a brownfields planning strategy for a long-closed large former flour mill; joined local officials in LaSalle and Rock Island counties to continue partnerships with the Governor's Opportunity Returns economic development program to clean up and redevelop other brownfields sites; and joined Chad Pregracke and teachers at one of his unique barge workshops (see the cover story in this issue of Environmental Progress).

I also look forward to continuing to implement Governor Blagojevich's commitment to making state government more accountable and responsive to our citizens. Landmark legislation passed by the General Assembly this spring and signed by Governor Blagojevich on July 24 will give IEPA important new tools to do just that. It provides a framework for more notification to citizens of potential harmful contamination, while making polluters pay for notification costs. The other key part of the legislation gives IEPA, for the first time in its history, an authority environmental agencies in many other states already had, to issue "administrative orders" compelling responsible parties to clean up or contain hazardous contaminants released into the environment. Implementing these provisions in a fair and thoughtful manner will require detailed planning and diligence but will provide long-term benefits and is really at heart a "good neighbor" policy.

In addition, Governor Blagojevich obtained passage this spring of legislation that will give the IEPA additional authority and resources to crack down on open dumping and make sure waste disposed in landfills is properly managed so it does not pose a potential future risk to neighboring citizens.

We will also continue to use evolving technology, such as the Internet, electronic databases, and the Global Positioning System, to implement the Governor's initiative to reduce burdensome paperwork and make meeting regulatory requirements as simple and streamlined as possible.

I look forward to working with all of you and welcome your input and suggestions as we continue to build on the accomplishments of the past 35 years.