SETF Granted Funds Through the Millennium Reserve Project

The Southeast Environmental Task Force proudly announces that their submission was among the initial projects selected to be funded through the Millennium Reserve Project that was announced by Senator Richard Durbin and Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar on Thursday. 

The twelve model projects selected to be funded under the Millennium Reserve Project were:
Blue Island Rain Barrel Initiative, Burnham Prairie Restoration, Burnham Wildlife Corridor, Calumet Invasive Species Conservation Corps, Calumet Water Trails Brochure, Greencorps Chicago, Midlothian Creek Green Infrastructure Plan, Mighty Acorns Program: Calumet Partnership, Mighty Acorns Program: Calumet Partnership, Millennium Reserve Roots, Northerly Island Restoration, Off the Beaten Path Eco-Tours, and River Volunteer Stewardship Program: Kickapoo Woods Demonstration Site.

All twelve project will further the intent to transform the Calumet Region of Chicago into a one-of-a-kind public destination through the conservation, restoration and enhancement of our natural ecosystems; consequently supporting prosperous communities and stimulating economic growth.

Peggy Salazar explaining SETF's Calumet Vision

Just one of the 12 model projects on display.

Suzanne Malek-Mckenna points out a map of the Millennium Reserve to Secretary Salazar

Zhanna Yarmokov of the Chicago Park District with Board Member Tom Shepherd

Terry Mazany of the Chicago Community Trust with SETF members Peggy Salazar and Tom Shepherd

Mark Carroll of the Rowing Group poses with Tom and Peggy

Catching up with Judy Pollack, Director of Regional Audubon

Tom posing with Duane Ambrosz of IDNR

Tom chatting it up with Benjamin Cox, Director of Friends of the Forest Preserve

Explaining or Calumet Vision to Carolyn Marsh and Scott Harper

Salazar, Shepherd and Salazar

SETF member, William Balasas

Secretary Salazar with SETF Intern John Rossi

Walter Marcisz, Carolyn Marsh, Peggy Salazar

Southeast Enviornmental Task Force Rallies with EJ Alliance

Hi again from John. I was with the taskforce again on Tuesday July 10^th for a rally to veto the Leucadia Bill. SETF was there to deliver over 11 thousand petitions from the residents of the Southeast Side to Governor Quinn’s representatives at the Thompson Center. Leucadia’s Coal Gasification Plant plans are being touted as “clean coal” but residents of the Calumet Region know firsthand that coal is a dirty business. Coal Gasification takes coal and a petroleum coke (a byproduct of oil refineries) and combines them under extreme pressure and temperatures to create synthetic natural gas. Hauling and storage of the raw materials produces particulates linked to Asthma rates and other health problems, not to mention soil quality and wildlife issues. The Southeast Side is the home to numerous protected and endangered bird species that make their nesting and migratory homes there, including a pair of bald eagles. Adding another dirty industry to the region would only compound the scarring. Leucadia wants the state to legislate the utility companies to buy their syngas at a fixed price for 30 years and force the consumer to use this product without even the option of using traditional natural gas.  They also want consumers and taxpayers to fund the almost $4 billion needed to build the plant.
John Rossi

This slideshow design generated with Smilebox