Lt. Governor Quinn highlights watershed conservation and restoration at the Illinois River Coordinating Council quarterly meeting

WILMINGTON - November 6, 2008.  Lt. Governor Pat Quinn chaired the Illinois River Coordinating Council's quarterly meeting at the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. 

"The Illinois River Coordinating Council has made great strides in conservation and restoration on the Illinois River," Quinn said.  "It is important to protect our state's water resources for future generations." 

Quinn was joined by concerned citizens, environmentalists and representatives from federal and state agencies for the Illinois River Coordinating Council's fourth and final meeting of the year. 

Topics on the agenda included: The Once and Future Prairie State; Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie; Illinois River Working Group Proposal for NESP; The Illinois Soil Nitrogen Test; Nutrient Policy; "Signs at the Crossroads" - A 90-Day Plan to Cleaner Water; Save Our State Parks; Celebrating 150 Years of the Illinois Natural History Survey; and Harnessing the Power of Sensors and Cyberinfrastructure Towards Environmental Sustainability. 

As Lt. Governor, Quinn is chairman of the Illinois River Coordinating Council composed of citizens, not-for-profit organizations, state and federal agencies, sportsmen and river enthusiasts.  The council coordinates funding for river restoration in the sprawling Illinois River watershed, which includes not only the Illinois River, but also its tributaries: the Chicago, Des Plaines, Du Page, Fox, Kankakee, La Moine, Mackinaw, Sangamon, Spoon, and Vermilion Rivers.           

For more information, please visit CleanWaterIllinois.org.