Oil lawsuit money and water
The recent news that Island Lake was one of the few communities to sign onto a class action suit concerning MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether) pollution and that we will be awarded a portion of the settlement money, around $2 million, has certainly sent some minds fluttering about as to where to spend those dollars. One of the responsibilities of being a Trustee requires that we provide for the health, welfare and safety of our residents. The money should be spent to guarantee the village’s water supply now and into the future. That means ensuring we have plentiful clean water from reliable sources and that it be protected from all possible sources of pollution, including so-called pig farmers and former gas station owners. Part of the reason this suit came about is because of the pollution caused by the gas station at Newberry and Route 176. It caused the well in Fox River Shores to be closed down. Part of the process for refining oil into gasoline is to add MTBE so that it increases the oxygen rate in the gasoline so that it burns cleaner.
While not the total process of refining gasoline it gives an idea of what it takes. Using electric power would certainly be a better alternative. I remember when the well closing occurred and how our water usage was limited as a result.
As a Trustee I will do all I can to ensure we have the water we need. My vote will be to spend that money on water related projects and nothing else.
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