TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF JUNE 20, 2013
COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRIAL WASTE AND WATER POLLUTION
Mr. David St. Pierre, Executive Director
Title
Authorization to negotiate an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to participate in the Chi-Cal River Project
Body
Dear Sir:
Authorization is hereby requested to negotiate an intergovernmental agreement ("IGA") with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources ("IDNR") to participate in the Chi-Cal Project ("Project"). Through this IGA with IDNR, the District will also partner with the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation ("NFWF") and potential private participant organizations such as ArcelorMittal, Crown Family Philanthropies, Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelly Foundation and the Wrigley Company Foundation to fund projects via grants that will enhance fish and wildlife habitat, increase storm water storage capacity through green infrastructure and improve public-use opportunities. The geographical focus area of the District's involvement in the Project will be the Chicago Area Waterway System ("CAWS"). The District and IDNR will provide technical expertise as needed and will be involved in the selection process for grant applicants.
The District anticipates contributing $500,000 toward the Project, with the aforementioned private entities contributing a total of up to $1.9 million. The private contributions are contingent on the District's $500,000 allocation. NFWF will be responsible for the administration of the funds and for overseeing the RFP process that will be utilized to award the funds via grants. For their services, NFWF will charge an administrative fee somewhere on the range of 10% to 15% of the District's $500,000 allocation.
On December 20, 2012, the Board was advised of a tentative agreement reached between various non-governmental organizations ("NGOs") whereby the District would abandon its objections to the IEPA proposed dissolved oxygen standards and drop its wet-weather use proposal, pending before the Illinois Pollution Control Board ("IPCB"), in consideration of the NGOs supporting the issuance of an initial 5-year Variance in favor of the MWRD. As part of this agreement, the District tentatively committed to contribute up to $500,000 to facilitate habitat improvement projects throughout the CAWS. The District will only enter into this proposed IGA if it can obtain assurances from the NGOs that the $500,000 the District anticipates allocating to the Project will also satisfy the District's commitment to the NGOs related to the IPCB proceedings. It is anticipated that the NGOs will make this commitment in that it may enable the NGOs to leverage the District's $500,000 allocation to obtain additional matching private commitments, thereby making substantially more money available for habitat improvement projects.
It is therefore requested that the Board of Commissioners grant authority to negotiate terms of an intergovernmental agreement with IDNR to participate in the Chi-Cal Project. A subsequent request outlining terms of the agreement and authority from the Board to enter into the IGA and expend the funds will be provided upon conclusion of negotiations.
Requested, Ronald M. Hill, General Counsel, RMH:bh
Recommended, David St. Pierre, Executive Director
Respectfully Submitted, Patrick D. Thompson, Chairman Committee on Industrial Waste and Water Pollution
Disposition of this agenda item will be documented in the official Regular Board Meeting Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for June 20, 2013