Planning to keep vigilant

As homeowners on Long Lake, we would like to thank The Daily Herald for honestly covering our ongoing campaign to get Baxter to hook up to the public sewer system instead of treating their chemical and human waste at their own facility and dumping it into Squaw Creek, which feeds into Long Lake. On May 2, we picketed Baxter headquarters as their shareholders arrived for their annual meeting. It has been reported that Baxter's CEO announced to the shareholders that the water their research and development plant in Round Lake dumps into Squaw Creek is clean. If this water is so clean, why has Baxter received effluent and exceedance violations from the IEPA every year going back to 2004?

The stoplonglakepollution.org website says, "The Illinois EPA has cited Baxter Healthcare International for numerous violations for chemicals and high BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) levels discharged. Known contaminants include Phospohorus, Nitrogen, Ammonia, Barium, Mercury, Oil and Grease. Violations for BOD levels mean that their discharge affects the dissolved oxygen amounts in lake. High BOD levels are associated with taking oxygen from aquatic life. Decreased oxygen causes fish and insects to die."

Those of us who have worked to spread the news about Baxter's disregard for the environment are encouraged by the announcement made to shareholders that Baxter will hook up to the local sewer system, but we remain skeptical. We intend to remain vigilant; we intend to keep fellow homeowners informed; we intend to keep badgering Baxter until they are connected to the sewer system in Round Lake.

Lisa Lee and Craig Kmichik

Ingleside