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Kilbuck Article


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The Rock River Times is a weekly paper in Rockford that I pick up every Wednesday. I was surprised to see an article on the front page about Kilbuck Creek's pollution issue. Then I was even more surprised to see that it was a guest column by Terry Dodge. Nice job Terry! Here's a link to the online version:

 

http://rockrivertimes.com/2011/10/19/guest-column-kilbuck-creek-used-to-run-clear-%e2%80%94-not-chocolate-brown-or-bluish-gray/

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Thanks! But know this.....

I didn't actually write the article. The editor put it all together from a 2 hour conversation we had on the phone on Tuesday and put my name to it.

I was kind of worried that some of you might be upset from me mentioning that I was with the ISA. I didn't take this step to

get people mad at me. I tried the Rockford paper and got no-where and I called all the local TV stations and got no-where.

Frank at the Rock River Times jumped right on it with enthusiasm. I have been in touch with the IEPA over the last couple of weeks

but that seems to be running into a long stretched out not really getting anything done dead-end alleyway. They say it's going to take some time. I feel Kilbuck don't have time. This has gone on too long. I hope Nancy at the IEPA don't get up set with me. I do appreciate what she has done and what she is doing, it's just taking too long. What am I suppose to do....forget about it until spring of 2012? I think not!

I'll keep you all updated on what's going on. Right now all I can say is that I'm still alive. Some locals don't seem to think that I will be for very much longer. We'll see.

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Hail to the chief!

 

If cleaning up the Kilbuck does not deserve having ISA associated with it, nothing does. I think your ghost writer got the facts and history straight and pushed the topic out to a larger audience which is what was needed.

 

Now it comes down to this, you can continue to send your wife out for beer. If you go out by yourself, you are in no danger. But so many people will want to buy you a beer, that you may never get home the same day. ;)

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My biggest anger isn't with businesses that pollute.They are after all in the business of doing business which is to fulfill their mandate of maximizing profits in a capitalistic profit driven system.The greatest anger should be directed at our elected officials & the bureaucrats(ex dept. of agriculture in the case of factory farms)who (often synically)jump into bed with the polluters in the face of environmental laws citing specious economic benefits.There's a lot to be said for the current movement to hold corporations & their bedfellows accountable especially those who seek to weaken/repeal those irksome laws.Give 'em hell Harry(Terry).

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Fine work Terry,

 

There are many who believe we need less government regulation in ours lives. This certaintly shows that in this case (or anything environmental)we need more! (or perhaps we just need the laws on the books enforced)!

 

Mark F. O'Donnell

 

Less Please! You might regret those words when your freedoms are reduced. I'm all for more regualtions to protect the environment from pollution, but making a broad statement like "we need more" government regulation in our lives is foolishness.

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Nice job Terry. The company I work for does business with the company that manages the landfill. I was there the other day and I got a little of the inside scoup. If you look at the map on the article you can see 2 quarries, the landfill quarry on the right of the Kilbuck and there is a clay pit on the left with a bridgless road crossing the Kilbuck. Over the past year or so they have been excavating the clay out of the clay pit to make a future landfill. To get closer access to the highway they have been trucking the clay via the river crossing. Basically everytime a truck crosses the Kilbuck the clay gets washed off of the tread of the tires and the river bottom is stirred up. I know farmers do these river crossings to access fields as well. This was going on with dozens of trucks per day for awhile. They claim there was no dumping or draining into the river. Since the recent public outcry (that's where you and your article comes in Terry) they have redirected the truck traffic to edson road by the hunt club. It's a little more distance to haul but they want to do what's right for the environment.

 

So Terry your words have been heard and rerouting the trucks may be the solution to the problem. Hopefull the clay residue will wash out with the early spring rains and we can look forward to a sucessful smallmouth spawn in the spring of 2012.

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Nice job Terry. The company I work for does business with the company that manages the landfill. I was there the other day and I got a little of the inside scoup. If you look at the map on the article you can see 2 quarries, the landfill quarry on the right of the Kilbuck and there is a clay pit on the left with a bridgless road crossing the Kilbuck. Over the past year or so they have been excavating the clay out of the clay pit to make a future landfill. To get closer access to the highway they have been trucking the clay via the river crossing. Basically everytime a truck crosses the Kilbuck the clay gets washed off of the tread of the tires and the river bottom is stirred up. I know farmers do these river crossings to access fields as well. This was going on with dozens of trucks per day for awhile. They claim there was no dumping or draining into the river. Since the recent public outcry (that's where you and your article comes in Terry) they have redirected the truck traffic to edson road by the hunt club. It's a little more distance to haul but they want to do what's right for the environment.

So Terry your words have been heard and rerouting the trucks may be the solution to the problem. Hopefull the clay residue will wash out with the early spring rains and we can look forward to a sucessful smallmouth spawn in the spring of 2012.

 

 

If they wanted to do what is right by the environment, they wouldn't have been crossing the creek in the first place. They just want to avoid any further public outcry. All of this for a place to dump a bunch of trash (that at some point will probably leach into the creek).

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Terry,

 

Don't believe it just yet. I am sceptical that all that muck came from truck tires. And if it did there should be some citations to look at. As for waiting till next year, that is for Cubs' fans. Keep an eye on it this year. The promise of a good spawn next spring is a "pig in a poke."

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PaulT - Sorry bud but you info source sucks! I know for a fact they are (or were) pumping into the creek. No crap. I know for a fact.

 

I was simply repeating what I heard from a person that works for the company that manages the property in question. I was not stating it as fact or my opinion on the subject. I'm in sales after all. This won't be the 1st or last time a customer feed me a line of bull.

 

I do like the after photo in your other Kilbuck post. Thats the way it should be.

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