Into the Belly of the Beast

On Friday, May 17th, the Task Force led a group of tourists down more than 300 feet below lake level into the Deep Tunnel Project.  With the cooperation of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation Department, we were able to arrange a bus tour of both the tunnel and the ending reservoir. 

Starting at their Calumet waste water treatment facility, staff of  MWRD took the group down in an elevator the  portion of the tunnel project full of huge pipes, metal catwalks, pumps and electrical panels.  The air in the room was a tad musty smelling even though the ventilation system was pumping consistently.  Here we were told how the system worked, how the sewer water flowed through it and about the safety measures in place should a pipe ever leak or burst.

Next we headed over the Thornton Quarry, a quarry that has been in business since the early 1900's and the intended designation for flood waters.  The quarry contains Silurian reefs which formed when the Michigan Basin was covered in sea water more than 400 million years ago.

Today the Quarry consists of three large quarries connected by tunnels.  It produces aggregates,stone, sand, metallurgical stone, mineral filler and several products worth more than $40 million dollars a year.  Some of the products using the ground rock include concrete mix, fertilizers and asphalt coatings.  The southern quarry will be turned into the deep tunnel reservoir once the tunnel finishes connecting, the sides are reconfigured and the connecting tunnels are blocked in 2015. 

The bus ride down the steep incline into the quarry was a little hairy. Once on the bottom, our bus was dwarfed  by the height of the steep side walls and it could have easily driven through any one of the two feeding tunnels that were still in the progress of being blasted out.  Our guide, engineer Kevin Fitzpatrick, gave us a detailed overview of the project.  Because we weren't allowed off of the bus, Kevin disembarked to scoop up some of the 400 million old rock to pass out as mementos.

Earth Day Lake Calumet Hike

Twenty-five participants (along with 1 reporter & 2 Port District personnel) attended this "inside the fence" Lake Calumet Earth Day Hike from 10:00 am - 12:30 pm on Monday (22 April 2013). We met at the Harborside Golf Course parking lot, and then we visited both the east & west shores of Lake Calumet.

Quite a few birders & photographers were along for the trip, and we tallied 44 bird species. Most notable were at least 33 AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS (1 flock of 18, 1 flock of 15) circling over the Harborside parking lot upon our arrival. We also had great views of the active Lake Calumet BALD EAGLE nest from both the east & west shores. Other raptors included 1 NORTHERN HARRIER & 1 RED-TAILED HAWK (with a snake in its mouth) seen from the Harborside parking lot, and 4 TURKEY VULTURES at nearby US Bank.

At least 11 waterfowl species were seen, including 9 duck species. Other than large numbers of SONG SPARROWS and a single FIELD SPARROW few notable passerine migrants were observed. Two EASTERN MEADOWLARKS were heard singing on the property. As the trip was ending, a few observers spotted a pair of OSPREYS in flight (one carrying a large fish) from the Harborside lot. One of the Ospreys was being harassed by a Red-tailed Hawk. Interesting way to end the trip!

 

--Walter Marcisz

 

 

 

   

CSU Intern, Tiffany, Joins SETF on T2T Tour

On Saturday 3/16 I went a on a CIMBY Tour called Toxics to Treasures. There were two busloads of kids one lead by Rod Sellers and the other by Tom Shepherd. There were students from various high schools that attended. We began the tour at Wolf Lake where Tom and I discussed the Nike Missile and some important facts about the lake and the industrial aspect of the lake and why this was considered to be an important area in the Southeast Region. We then rode the bus around the landfills, the old factories, Harborside Golf Course and the marshes. Along the way we witnessed industry and nature co-existing in a very peculiar way. It was a very unique sight to experience. We were surprised to see a barge that just arrived from New Orleans carrying benzene and two swans swimming alongside each other in the marshland. The students were very bright and inquisitive kids that were a joy to be around. After the tour the kids headed over to the library for an activity. Despite the cold weather it was a very enjoyable day and an amazing experience.

 

Kitchen Spa

Last Friday night the Task Force hosted a Ladies Night In workshop where our members got to make beauty and health products with common, natural, everyday ingredients.  The Chocolate Souffle facial mask made with yogurt, cocoa, honey and oatmeal was a hit and left their skin silky smooth.  They also made a coconut oil based "vapo rub" fragranced with rosemary and eucalyptus essential oils that will do  double duty as both a moisturizer and an aromatic stimulant.  It was a fun way to wind down a long week on a cold, winter Friday.

If You Ever Doubt That theTask Force is Busy

If you ever doubt that the Task Force is busy, just stop in at our office, or visit our blog, or click over to our Facebook page.  We have an activity scheduled for every month not to mention the myriad number of meetings we attend or the advocacy work we do.  Phew!

We than rushed to the station with Below are a few photos from our recent  trip down to Springfield to try to convince our legislators to do the smart thing and vote for a 2 year moratorium on Fracking in Illinois.

Tiny and Inexpensive

Watch this interesting video about downsizing your living space.  It's proof that you can do with less and still be satisfied.

Post Industrial Southeast Chicago

For a glimpse into Southeast Chicago's past, read these two recent books:  Exit Zero by Christine Walley and Fireflies in a Jar by Georgia Kraff .  Both memoirs give an account of what life was like when the steel mills provided a living for the thousands of families that lived and worked on the Southeast side.  Information about the books can be found at:

http://georgiakraff.com/
and
http://www.press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/E/bo13487662.html

 

 

And if you haven't seen the documentary, Wrapped in Steel you can watch it here: