Needed: A Long Term Solution

Nuclear Fuel Storage Casks staged for loading - Zion, December 2012 Author's Photo

 Today, I have been reviewing the press coverage of  Congressman Dold's bill, "The Stranded Nuclear Waste Act", HR-5632-press-release, and while I applaud the fact that this problem is finally getting some serious attention from our federal representative, I am skeptical that the bill will actually be passed during this session.  Beyond that, I don't feel that the proposal goes far enough to address the long term impact of the storage site on the City of Zion and the surrounding community.

The biggest fault is the fact that there is a seven year limit on the compensation. The reason given, is to prevent the community becoming reliant on federal dollars, and supposedly to prompt Congress to take action on the storage problem. Now, the projected $15 million a year compensation is not inconsiderable, but when measured against the projected lifespan for the nuclear storage casks of 50 years or more it's not that much. As for getting Congress to move on a problem because it might cost a few hundred million over a few years ignores history and reality. Even with a best case scenario, in which Yucca mountain opened tomorrow, I have learned that it might take up to 30 years to move all the stored fuel to another site. The fact is the fuel isn't going anywhere for quite some time.

The second problem I have is with the statement from Mayor Al Hill, that his hope is that these funds will allow the city to lower taxes, which will hopefully draw economic development, and kick-start a cycle of development that will improve the economy and ease the tax burden.  As a theory, I think that is a worthy goal.

I would like to propose a better idea, rather than hoping to lower taxes for businesses, let's actually lower the taxes for businesses!

In fact, I already proposed this idea over a year and half ago during my campaign for Commissioner. From my blog post: "Candidate Questionnaire Sneak Peek", Fischer for Zion - February 2015 

Q. Briefly explain how would you address the high taxes in Zion? 

Q. Briefly explain how would you address economic development in Zion?

A. I propose that the city apply for Enterprise Zone Status under the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act, to give us access to special tax and regulatory incentives for businesses.  I also propose that the Act be amended to include the Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility in the same criteria as an abandoned coal mine, or brownfield site, and the Enterprise Zone status should not expire until the spent fuel is removed from our Lakefront. These proposals provide practical means towards growing our local economy while helping reduce homeowner taxes, and obtaining some compensation for the detrimental impact of the nuclear storage site on our community.

 Since I made that proposal, there have been more cases where a business considering locating in Zion has instead gone to Wisconsin or elsewhere because Zion couldn't offer the kind of tax incentives to be competitive. No matter what the outcome of the proposed bill, we still need the leverage of an Enterprise Zone to compete with cross border competition.

Another issue that was mentioned in the press conference, is the increasing rate of poverty in Zion, reflected in the unbalanced proportion of rental property to homeowner occupied which is now 60% to 40%, and the highest number of Section 8 housing in Lake County.

To address the housing problem, and the long-term economic impact on the city, I would propose the creation of a special Homestead exemption for tax assessments that would be tied to the Nuclear Storage Site, similar to what I have proposed for the Enterprise Zone. Just like the existing special exemptions for Veterans and Seniors, this would be an additional exemption for residents living in Zion, Winthrop Harbor, and Beach Park, in order to compensate for the economic impact of the Storage Site. Added to that, there should be an additional incentive exemption for first-time home-buyers that would be available for the first two years in order to encourage conversion from rental properties to ownership.  After that, as long as they qualify for the standard Homestead exemption, they would receive the additional Nuclear Homestead exemption.

As I stated above, seven years of cash payments isn't bad, but before everyone gets caught up in what can be done with that money (which we don't have yet), let's not lose sight of the long term needs and how we can address them.

Trustee No.7 - Infrastructure

What’s the deal with infrastructure?

In the several months since my appointment to the Lake County Public Water District Board of Trustees, one topic has occupied my attention above all; the fundamental importance of civil infrastructure. 

Infrastructure consists of everything we take for granted as essential elements of our modern society; roads, bridges, electricity, flood control, dams, waste treatment, and drinking water. 

According to the “American Society of Civil Engineers 2013 Report Card For America’s Infrastructure” the national status of drinking water infrastructure rates a "D", due to the advanced age of most of the delivery systems, many of which are 100 or more years old, and nearing the end of their operational lifespan.  Just replacing pipes and mains over the next couple of decades is estimated to cost close to $1 Trillion according to the American Water Works Association.

 

Here in Illinois, it is estimated that we will need at least $15 Billion in drinking water infrastructure needs over the next 20 years. I want to emphasize this; $15 Billion, just for drinking water.

 A little research, so you don’t have to.

 

Here in Northeast Illinois we benefit from having access to Lake Michigan for the bulk of our water needs, but it is not an unlimited resource.  As part of my research into water infrastructure I have been studying the “Water 2050: Northeastern Illinois Regional Water Supply/Demand Plan” that was issued by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning in March 2010.  If you aren’t the type of person who enjoys curling up with a 200 plus page report on current water usage and the long term trends for the 11 counties that comprise the Northeast Illinois region, I wouldn’t recommend it, but there are some relevant facts that can be gleaned from this tome. 

Using data from 2005 as a baseline, the report projects three supply/demand scenarios:

1.    Current Trend (usage remains at current levels, increased by population growth).

2.    Less Resource Intensive (usage is moderated by conservation and “true-cost” pricing).

3.    More Resource Intensive (usage is increased to a level at or above available supply).

 

There are five water use sectors to be considered in any supply/demand scenario:

1.    Public Supply

2.    Power Generation

3.    Industrial and Commercial

4.    Agricultural and Irrigation

5.    Domestic Self-Supply 

The annual average per-capita usage per day is 169.3 gallons, for the region the average is 1,408.3 million gallons per day (mgd).  

The source of all this water can be broken down as follows; 69% from Lake Michigan, 17% from groundwater (wells), and 14% from rivers.

As fortunate as we are to have such an abundance of fresh water so readily available, we should keep in mind this is not a static condition. 

 The report outlines a projected population growth of 38% over the 45 years between 2005 and 2050.  The Less Resource Intensive scenario keeps the growth in water demand down to 7.24% over that period of time, but under the Current Trend that demand raises to 36%, and the More Resource Intensive increases demand to 64% above current usage. 

If you want an example of a water resource over-used to the point of its demise, you only have to look at the Colorado River, which has been diverted so much that it no longer flows to the Gulf of California.  The image of Lake Michigan reduced to a plain of cracked dry mud surrounding a shallow shadow of its former glory may seem far-fetched, but it isn’t completely out of the realm of possibility. 

Closer to home, communities in western Lake County that rely on groundwater , are already discovering their limitations, and have started to consider joining up with existing water districts that supply Lake Michigan water.  The biggest roadblock to making the switch is the financial costs that their residents would have to bear to put the infrastructure in place.  Eventually, a tipping point will be reached where the need for reliable and safe water service will (probably) overtake the financial concerns.

In short, if we don’t take common sense steps to use our water resources efficiently, the long term costs both financially and environmentally will be staggering.

One of those steps is to ensure our water infrastructure is well maintained and upgraded as needed. 

Littoral Drift and the Water Intake Pipe 

Littoral transport has been defined as the movement of material along the shore in the littoral zone by waves and currents. The material thus transported is referred to as the littoral drift. The littoral drift originates from beach material, being picked up by the water and transported along the shore and deposited in another location.  Shore erosion, littoral transport, and deposition of drift are all factors in the littoral process. – from the abstract of the report; Littoral Transport in the Great Lakes, by Dr. L. Bajorunas, U.S. Lake Survey, Corps of Engineers (1960). 

One of the great things I have discovered since deciding to run for office, and engaging in public service, is the many opportunities to learn about something new.   After I sat in on my first meeting at the Water District, Don White, the Operations Manager took me for a tour of the Water Filtration Plant.  At the end, he pulled out a set of engineering drawings that diagrammed the water intake pipe.  He explained that the intake pipe extends approximately 3000 feet out on the lake bed, and had been covered by four feet of sand.   

But, in the years since the construction of the North Point Marina at Winthrop Harbor, most of the sand has eroded away, exposing and undermining large sections of the pipe, apparently due to the marina interrupting the natural flow of the littoral drift. In effect the break walls surrounding the marina are keeping sand from being deposited on the lakeshore to the south, resulting in greater beach erosion, and thus exposing the water intake pipe.  This is how I first learned the importance of littoral drift in coastal engineering projects.   

How important is illustrated in a recent announcement by Governor Quinn, of a $1.3 million dollar project to protect the shoreline at Illinois Beach State Park, due to the extensive erosion just south of the North Point Marina. This includes the area where the water intake pipe is located.  Here is a relevant quote from the story about the announcement that appeared in the Lake County News-Sun on January 29, 2014; “The problems on the shoreline of the Adeline Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park have been ongoing ever since North Point Marina and another marina just into Wisconsin began trapping the natural movement of sand south along the shoreline.”   

In 2013, the Lake County Public Water District commissioned an inspection of the Intake Pipe.  A diver examined the length of the pipe from the intake cones, back to the shoreline.  The resulting report notes that there are sections of the pipe, especially on the southern side, where the lake bed has definitely eroded; in some instances the drop-off extends to depths over a dozen feet. 
 

So, we know we have a problem, how do we fix it?

Introduction to “The Bent”

 

To protect the pipe, the Water District has undertaken a project to install a system of “bent clamp supports” which are designed to secure the exposed sections of the pipe to the lake bed independent of the level of the surrounding sand.  Each “bent” is a large steel clamp that is secured around the outside of the pipe.  On either side of the clamp is a channel through which a steel piling is inserted. Each piling is driven down until it hits hard pan under the lake bed, the excess portion of the pilings are then cut flush with the top of the clamp, and the whole assembly is then secured.  Each bent can support 32 feet of pipe, which, if you do the math, gives you a total of 93 bents to cover the entire 3000 feet.

 

Photo of an open bent to be deployed.

The long-term goal is to place bents along the entire length of the pipe, as needed, and once they are in place, they are expected to last 50 or more years. The short-term goal last year was to install six of the bents in the most critical areas.  I say that it was the goal, because there is another facet of infrastructure that often isn’t considered by the casual observer; obtaining permits.

 

Hey, have you got a permit for that? 
 

In an extensive examination of the Obama Administration’s $800 billion dollar stimulus, and it’s often unrecognized successes; Michael Grunwald’s book “The New New Deal, The Hidden Story of Change in the Obama Era”, also describes one of the biggest hurdles, that a “shovel-ready” project is a lot harder to get underway than you might think. 

In the case of our water intake project, the hurdles consist of getting approvals from various agencies to conduct the necessary work in Lake Michigan.  These are the; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE), Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA).

 

When I sat down for my first official meeting with the Water District Board in July of 2013, the hope was to complete the permit process soon enough to allow the contractor time to install three of the bents before the end of the season when the coming winter weather would put a halt to any underwater work on the lake.

 
The district had submitted a request for a ten-year permit, to the IDNR, which had filed for a 30 day public comment period regarding the request, scheduled to conclude on the 26^th of July.  At the time, the IEPA had not made any substantial comment on the request.  Since that meeting, the IDNR completed its comment period, the COE determined it needed its own comment period, and the IEPA included another comment period. All of which meant, that 2013 ended without obtaining the permit, and none of the projected work had been done.  But, that wasn’t the last hurdle, because after the IEPA comment period completed, someone there took a look at the file and determined that yet another requirement had to be met before they could sign off on the project.  Sediment and water samples had to be collected from the site, and sent to a lab for analysis to determine what kind of contaminants might be released from the material that would be moved in order to place the bent around the pipe. If the quantities are considered hazardous, then the contractor would be required to place the disturbed material in barrels, which would be transported to an inland waste disposal facility.

At the time of this writing, in March 2014, the District is awaiting the lab results, and hopefully will finally receive the final approval for its permit, almost a year since beginning the process.

Looking at the bureaucratic labyrinth it is very easy to get frustrated, you have to wonder how anything can get done, and if we are going to effectively tackle that $15 billion in water infrastructure we better figure out some ways to streamline the process. But, we shouldn’t do so in a way that puts our natural resources at risk. Ask the citizens of West Virginia who had their entire water supply contaminated if they would prefer a little more environmental regulation or not.

In the end, despite all the hurdles, I believe that our little infrastructure project will move forward, and I will do my small part to make sure that it is successful.

Final Thoughts

Our society, our economy, our very civilization depends upon a network of interdependent systems, many of which are taken so much for granted that they are essentially invisible to our day-to-day consciousness, until they fail.

Highways, railroads, electric grids, sanitation, and water systems aren’t as glamorous as a skyscraper or a sports stadium but they touch us, and support us in our daily lives beyond mere monetary measure. It is our responsibility to ourselves and the generations that follow that we not only maintain them, but make them better; an investment in our posterity. So that one day, they will look back on what we accomplished and say that they truly stand on the shoulders of giants.

 

Postscript, April 30th

 

Earlier this week, I received word that the Illinois EPA has issued the permit for the intake pipe project, and the paperwork will be finalized with the Corps of Engineers.

 

Trustee No. 7 - "Paperwork, Open Meetings, and You"

Just a short installment this time, I am spending part of my Sunday reading through my Board Packet for the upcoming meeting on Tuesday.  I've had a draft of this post sitting around for over a week, so I thought I should go ahead and get it out there for you to read.

With any new job, even an appointed position, there comes the inevitable paperwork; like tax withholding, for the record, Trustees are paid $1,200 a year in monthly installments, (after taxes that comes to a whopping $87.35 a month), a surety bond (the district picks up the tab for that), and required certifications.  The last item came in the form of an email from Karen with the attached text.

Open Meetings Act

Elected and Appointed Members

OMA Electronic Training

Effective January 1, 2012, elected or appointed members of a public body subject to OMA must
complete the electronic training once during their term of election or appointment as follows:

• Any person who is an elected or appointed member of a public body subject to the Act on January 1, 2012, must complete the electronic training between January 1, 2012, and January 1, 2013.

• Any person who becomes an elected or appointed member of a public body subject to the Act after
January 1, 2012, must complete the electronic training no later than the 90th day after taking the oath
of office or, if not required to take an oath of office, after otherwise assuming responsibilities as a member of the public body.

 Elected or appointed members need not complete the electronic training on an annual basis thereafter unless they are also designated to receive training on compliance with the Open Meetings Act.

The Public Access Counselor’s Office’s OMA electronic training is available free of charge at:

http://foia.ilattorneygeneral.net

I have included the link, which opens in a new window, so that if you are curious, you can take the training yourself, the only difference is that you don't get a certificate at the end. 

Overall, the training is pretty forgiving, if you get an answer wrong you can keep going back until you answer correctly.  The main concern is ensuring that the concepts of the Open Meetings Act are understood by the trainee, and hopefully will abide by them in their official actions.

This leads me back to my thoughts about how our government communicates with the public.

During my campaign for Commissioner, I advocated for more open communication between government institutions and the public they serve, and as I become more familiar with laws like the Open Meetings Act, and the Freedom Of Information Act, I become more convinced that government has a responsibility to inform and educate the public, and the public have a corresponding responsibility to learn how their government functions and performs.

I am under no illusions that such open communication would be easy.  There are those in the public sector; elected officials, and civil service employees that regard the provisions of the OMA, and especially FOIA as nuisance that diverts time and resources unnecessarily away from the work that they are doing. It is true that there are those who use those laws as a bludgeon to harass public officials that they disagree with, or even just dislike for some reason.

Whether complying with these laws is a nuisance, a hassle, or just a waste of money is beside the point. These laws were implemented to redress a history of public bodies acting in a secretive and high-handed manner that rewards select insiders at the expense of the rest of the population.

In my opinion, if a public entity takes that extra step to educate their constituents about what they are doing, and illustrate for them how those actions are for the benefit of everyone, the less cause for suspicion by the public.

That doesn't mean the average citizen is off the hook,  democracy is a team sport and we all have our parts to play.  So, every once in a while, just take a look around at all those things we take for granted on a daily basis; streets, electricity, water, sewer, fire department, and police. Ask yourself, how are these services provided, and do I know who is responsible for running them?

If you don't know, devote a little spare time to educating yourself, a little knowledge can be a great advantage, especially the next time you step into a voting booth.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions, either through the comment feature below or directly via email at fischerforzion@gmail.com .

Trustee No. 7 - "Introductions"

In the previous post "A New Opportunity" I announced my appointment to the Lake County Public Water District Board of Trustees.  I want to share with you my experiences as a first-time office holder as best as I can describe them in an irregular series that I am calling, "Trustee No. 7". Since I am filling the last spot on a seven member board, hence the title.

I want to emphasize that this post and the ones that will follow are not official communications of the LCPWD Board, but merely an account of my own thoughts and impressions as I take on a new role in public service.

After the Lake County Board approved my appointment, I checked in with Mr. Brent Paxton, the District 4 Board Member who had asked me if I would fill the trustee vacancy, to see what the next step would be.  He told me that I should expect a letter from the County Board confirming my appointment, along with a copy of the resolution. A similar letter would be sent to the Public Water District, and then they would take over the process of my orientation and so forth.

Just for reference, that information was given to me on June 12, and as of this writing, that letter hasn't yet arrived. In my conversations with Mr. Paxton prior to my acceptance he had asked if I wanted to speak with the Board Chairman about the Trustee position. I declined to do so because I wanted to approach the position, and the process without preconceptions.  Keep these points in mind as we move on.

The following Saturday,  I took a bike ride to the lakefront, and as part of my route I decided to scout out the location of the filtration plant.  I also discovered something interesting when you plug the plant address into Google Earth.

 

 

The Google map centers on the water intake pump station at the lake shore, you have actually pan out to see the plant itself, which in the image above is on the upper left side of the picture.  So now I knew where the plant was.  Surprisingly, or maybe not if you think about it, almost everyone that I have spoken to about the Public Water District were unaware of it's existence, or the location of the filtration plant.

 

Looking at the published meeting schedule on the District website lcpwd.com, I saw that the next meeting was set for June 18, at 5:30 pm.   I decided to attend as an observer since I hadn't received my official notification yet.  I arranged to catch an early train home, which arrived in Zion at about 5:23 pm, and drove directly from the station to the plant on 17th Street. 

 

For security reasons, the plant is fenced and gated to prevent unauthorized access to the facility. I pulled up to the gate and pressed the call button.  A woman's voice answered, asking if I needed help, and I told her that I was there for the Board meeting.  I think there was a little surprise in her voice, but she told me to come on in, and the automated gate started to open.  I pulled in, parked, walked up to the entrance and rang the call box at the entrance.  She answered, and told me to come upstairs as the door buzzed open. 

 

I followed her directions up to the second floor, and was met at the office entrance by a gentleman who introduced himself as Arlyn Albrecht, the General Manager. I gave him my name, and he asked me to sign in on the visitor's book, and if there was a particular issue I wanted to speak to the Board about.  The District, like all public bodies subject to the Open Meetings Act, have time built into the agenda for public comment

 

I told him that I had been appointed to the Board  the previous week and I just wanted to introduce myself and observe the meeting if I could.  He was genuinely surprised, because they hadn't received any notification from the County Board that a new Trustee had even been appointed!

 

He then led me down the hall, to the conference room, and introduced me to the assembly as the newly appointed member.  There was a moment's pause, while everyone processed the news, and then Mr. Topcik, the Chairman welcomed me and asked if I would mind giving a brief background of myself and how I came to be appointed.  I did so, with apologies for parachuting into their meeting in such a fashion.   He then asked each person to introduce themselves. The Trustees present were; Douglas Jaeger (Vice Chairman), Michael Ruchti, Amos Monk, and Dorothy Mitchell.  Trustee Richard Moe was absent.  Also present were the previously mentioned General Manager Al Albrecht, Operations Manager Don White, District Attorney Dan Kucera, and District Secretary Karen Johnston (who had been on the intercom), also present was Mr. M. David Cain from the accounting firm of Milburn Cain & Company.  Mr. Cain was there to present the audit report for the fiscal year that ended April 30th.  I was given a seat at the conference table and the office copy of the meeting agenda and the supporting documentation, the normal order of business then proceeded. 

 

I think that it was very fortunate timing that I was present for this particular meeting wherein the financial report was presented and the setting of the delivery rate for the 2014 fiscal year.  Mr. Topcik pointed out that the District is a non-profit operation, and the rate charged is calculated based on the projected costs for operations and maintenance.  After the presentation of the financial report, there were discussions of ongoing projects; concerning the raw water intake pipe that extends 3000 feet out into Lake Michigan, warranty repairs to painting that had been done inside one of the clarifier tanks, and a project to remove and prevent the rusting of stainless steel components in the tanks.

 

At the conclusion of the meeting, Don White took me for a tour of the facility and gave me a short course on the water filtration process along with some of the operational and logistic background information.

 

I must say even though my appearance was unexpected everyone involved was very gracious and helpful, and I learned quite a bit in a short period of time.  One item in particular caught my attention; the erosion of sand around the water intake pipe requires the installation of supporting structures called bents to ensure that the pipe isn't undermined and compromised.  If the pipe is breached along it's length there could be a severe reduction in the water flow to the plant, and that would be a major problem!  

 

In the next installment, I think I'll delve deeper into the intake pipe project, with an overview of the engineering required, and the process that is currently underway to obtain the proper permits to carry out the work on Lake Michigan.

For those of you reading this, if you have a question or a comment, feel free to submit it through the comment section below, or email me at fischerforzion@gmail.com .