Urban Rivers volunteers work to bring floating wetlands to Bubbly Creek. Illinois lawmakers are hoping for more federal funding to clean up pollution at the south bend of the Chicago River, known as Bubbly Creek. (Urban Rivers photo)

Both of Illinois’ U.S. senators and eight Chicago area congressional representatives are calling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to clean up the Chicago Area Waterway System, including the pollution at Bubbly Creek.

U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Springfield; U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Hoffman Estates; and U.S. Reps. Robin Kelly, D-Matteson; Delia Ramirez, D-Chicago; Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, D-Chicago; Mike Quigley, D-Chicago; Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove; Danny Davis, D-Chicago; Raja Krisnamoorthi, D-Schaumburg; and Jan Schakowsky, D-Evanston, sent a letter today to Debra Shore, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 administrator.

The letter urged Shore to immediately allocate funds under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to begin the process of characterizing contaminated sediment in the Chicago Area Waterway System.

As the lawmakers note in their letter, if these funds are allocated to clean the CAWS, EPA could begin cleaning up the pollution that has plagued the south fork of the south bend of the Chicago River, known as Bubbly Creek.

“We are writing to urge you in your capacity as Great Lakes national program manager to immediately allocate funds under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to begin the process of characterizing contaminated sediment in the Chicago Area Waterway System,” the lawmakers wrote.

“For more than 100 years, the CAWS has suffered from pollution; specifically, the south fork of the south bend of the Chicago River, known as Bubbly Creek. This area’s name comes from the bubbles generated from sanitary sewage, industrial waste, and animal waste that were disposed of in the creek for more than 100 years from the adjacent Union Stockyards and other local industries. While the stockyards no longer line this portion of the river banks, the sediment remains highly contaminated, preventing the CAWS’ ecosystem from being restored,” the lawmakers continued their letter.

The lawmakers explained that GLRI funds can be used to support efforts to clean up the CAWS, citing the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024, which states, “The committee encourages agency funds for Great Lakes projects to be made available for projects in the historic Great Lakes Basin, which includes the Chicago River Watershed.”

The lawmakers emphasized that while immediately allocating GLRI funds to the clean-up is a step forward, they acknowledged that a more long-term solution is critical to cleaning up Bubbly Creek.

“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency can begin to address contamination in the CAWS using GLRI funds, but a long-term solution to clean up the area and restore the ecosystem will require a partnership between EPA, the Army Corps of Engineers, and local partners, including the city of Chicago,” the lawmakers wrote.

The lawmakers continued on, underscoring that allocating the funds will not impede investments in the region.

“Using the GLRI to invest in CAWS remediation will not distract from other important investments in the region. Sediment contamination characterization can begin on areas of the CAWS such as Bubbly Creek, the North Branch, North Shore Channel, Collateral Channel, or other segments of the South Branch, Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, Little Calumet River or Cal-Sag Channel at modest expense. Initiating this effort by the end of 2024 would allow adequate time for EPA to plan for expanded CAWS efforts in the coming years,” the lawmakers wrote.

The lawmakers concluded their letter by renewing their commitment to work with federal, state, and local partners to address the pollution in the CAWS.

“The Chicago Area Waterway System has suffered from pollution and neglect for the last century. Thank you for your efforts in addressing this issue and creating a new legacy for the region. We look forward to continuing to partner with EPA and other federal, state, and local agencies to deliver a cleaner waterway for the community,” the lawmakers concluded their letter.