Without further comment (other than a congratulations at the end), the first three paragraphs of today’s Chicago Tribune endorsement for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (entitled “Our choices for clean water”):
“Largely out of sight–if not always out of sniffing range–the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District has a crucial environmental mission: By processing 1.4 billion gallons of wastewater daily and collecting storm water runoff that can carry dangerous pollutants, the district tries to protect the water quality of Lake Michigan and this region’s rivers. This is a mammoth if obscure enterprise: The agency’s Stickney plant, one of seven that the district operates, is the world’s largest wastewater treatment facility.
A nine-member board of commissioners oversees the district–its 900-square-mile service area, roughly the shape of Cook County, includes Chicago and 125 suburbs–as well as the district’s billion-dollar budget. Board members serve staggered terms, with three seats up for election every two years. Nine Democrats are competing in the March 21 primary for three positions. From this unusually strong field, the Tribune endorses three candidates:
Priority One this year is the nomination of Debra Shore, a founding director of Friends of the Forest Preserves and editor of Chicago Wilderness magazine. Shore is a deeply respected and powerful voice in Chicago-area conservation circles, and her concern for the environmental quality of the district’s land holdings–many of which citizens use just as they do forest preserves–would make her a welcome addition to a board that now devotes most of its energy to engineering issues. Shore has excellent ideas for policy changes to reduce the worsening impact of rainwater runoff as more and more of the Chicago area is covered by buildings and pavement.”
Congratulations Debra!
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