COVER STORY

Durbin Talks Energy During Visit To Upstate Illinois

Says Unfinished Great River Bike Trail Has Been Funded

By Tom Kocal, TKocal@prairie-advocate-news.com

Savanna was one of the stops made in Northwest Illinois Tuesday by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin. The Illinois Senator was greeted by over 40 Carroll County and regional representatives from the business sector, schools, tourism, economic development, and municipal and county government during his 2-hour lunch visit at the City of Savanna Council Chambers.

Durbin started the day in Galena Tuesday morning, meeting with passenger rail service supporters to discuss the next steps in restoring Amtrak service from Chicago to Galena. Durbin has been committed to bringing passenger rail service to the northwest and north central Illinois regions. He was joined by officials from Amtrak and the Illinois Dept. of Transportation (IDOT).

Pam Brown, Director of the Savanna Chamber of Commerce, asked Durbin for help in funding the final 1.25 mile stretch of the Great River Bicycle Trail between Savanna and Thomson that is the only part of the trail that is not finished. Durbin's aide said that she thought the funds had been allocated, then went to check while Durbin commented on bike trails in general.

"I like what I see with trails in Illinois. I support them 100%," Durbin stated. "I see people exercising, sometimes whole families, taking advantage of the beautiful scenery offered by the trails."

Later, his aide confirmed that funding for the completion of the Great River Trail has been secured, which resulted in hearty applause by the audience. Durbin also confirmed that the money was not contingent to the State passing a Capital Plan, which is the case with other federal dollars being withheld from Springfield.

"These funds are called 'earmarked' funds, which are federal dollars specifically 'earmarked' for specific Illinois projects," Durbin said. "Approximately $7 to $8 million of federal funds are coming back to Illinois. The money was released to the Illinois Dept. of Transportation. This project had bike trails in the legislation. You need to follow up with IDOT now."

White papers were submitted by several groups in attendance. Mayors Bill Lease of Savanna and Carl Bates of Mt. Carroll, and Jim Mantle of Shannon asked for more infrastructure funding to assist older communities in the funding of their antiquated water and sewer treatment facilities. Savanna's water treatment plant is expected to fail completely within 5 years, according to a Power Point presentation made by Lease, called "Revitalization for Savanna."

The Illinois EPA has mandated Mt. Carroll to upgrade their water system due to high levels of radium in the current water supply. "We are waiting for Economic Development Administration money and other grants, but our citizens are basically funding this project on our own," Bates told Durbin. "We have a $22 per month debt service for the $4.5 million project, and that's just for the water system upgrade. This project will be a great benefit to the community, but more funding assistance is needed."

Gary Frederick, Joe Haas and Rod Fritz, representing "N-Ovation" urged Durbin to support alternative energy and the businesses that are utilizing technology to develop environmentally-friendly businesses. Located at the Savanna Depot Park, N-Ovation will use green energy to create fertilizer.

In a paper submitted by Diane Komiskey, Executive Director of the LRA at the former Savanna Army Depot, she stated "Your support for their project will add green to the local, state and national economy while respecting the unique habitat of the refuge. With your help, Senator, as Rosie the Riveter proclaimed, 'We can do it!' The Savanna Depot Park (which adjoins a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Refuge) can be fully redeveloped."

Komiskey's letter also admonishes the U.S. Army and the Federal Government for pulling out of the Depot, "leaving buildings with asbestos siding, flooring and roofs." She added that the Army's refusal to remove the asbestos from the Army-created EPA "superfund" has added greatly to the LRA's cost, impeding its redevelopment efforts. "Coupled with the financial challenges of delayed transfers, the LRA begs for assistance."

Gas prices, the EPA and environmentalists' efforts to curtail oil refineries in the U.S., and biomass energy plants in northwest Illinois were also discussed, with Durbin giving plenty of time to the audience to speak their minds.

From Savanna, Durbin headed to Moline to discuss the impact of rising fuel prices on truckers and the ripple effect evident in the cost of everything from groceries to electronics as shipping costs are passed on to consumers.

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