TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF APRIL 5, 2012
COMMITTEE ON REAL ESTATE
Mr. David St. Pierre, Executive Director
Title
Authority to issue a 5-year permit to U. S. Geological Survey to maintain, repair and remove one monitoring borehole on District Main Channel Parcel 25.03 located between the Des Plaines River and the Main Channel in Lemont, DuPage County, Illinois. Consideration shall be a nominal fee of $10.00.
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Dear Sir:
On July 14, 2011, the District's Board of Commissioners authorized a one-year permit to the U. S. Geological Survey ("USGS"), a division of the United States Department of the Interior, to install four monitoring boreholes on District Main Channel Parcel 25.03 located between the Des Plaines River and the Main Channel in Lemont, Illinois. The boreholes are for the purpose of conducting sampling as part of an investigation of the possible use of a hydrogun device to deter migration of Asian Carp through the Main Channel. The hydrogun would be located in the Main Channel and would send an energy pulse through the water repelling or killing fish within a certain distance. Monitoring and evaluation of the energy pulses and their travel and dissipation on land is necessary to determine the feasibility of this method.
The USGS has indicated that it will remove the equipment from and backfill three of the four boreholes and has requested to continue to monitor the remaining borehole for an additional 5 years.
Parcel 25.03 is under lease to the DuPage County Forest Preserve District. USGS has been advised, and the permit will expressly provide, that it is conditioned upon the USGS obtaining the consent of DuPage County Forest Preserve District to continue to maintain the borehole.
The District's technical departments have reviewed this request and have no objections to issuing this permit.
The monitoring activity by USGS appears to have little impact on the overall use of the site and encompasses a small area. Further, the project is related to a high priority government campaign against the Asian Carp. A nominal fee of $10.00 is therefore being recommended.
It is requested that the Executive Director recommend to the Board of Commissioners that it authorize and approve the issuance of a 5-year permit to U. S. Geological Survey to maintain, repair and remove one monitoring borehole on District Main Channel Parcel 25.03 located between the Des Plaines River and the Main Channel in Lemont, DuPage County, Illinois. Consideration shall be a nominal fee of $10.00.
It is further requested that the Executive Director recommend to the Board of Commissioners that it authorize the Chairman of the Committee on Finance and the Clerk to execute said permit agreement after it is approved by the General Counsel as to form and legality.
Requested, Ronald M. Hill, General Counsel RMH:STM:JCC:rg
Recommended, David St. Pierre, Executive Director
Respectfully Submitted, Terrence J. O'Brien, Chairman Committee on Real Estate Development
Disposition of this agenda item will be documented in the official Regular Board Meeting Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for April 5, 2012
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