Link: Shelve Fox Waterway elimination plan for now
Political Editor
mriopell@dailyherald.com
SPRINGFIELD - State Sen. Terry Link said Tuesday he'll shelve his plan to dissolve the Fox Waterway Agency for now in favor of a study of the issue.
The Waukegan Democrat had called the agency redundant and saw the proposal as a chance to cut government. Link said the idea needs more study but said the dissolution plan still could come up in the coming months.
"Nothing dies down here," Link said on the Illinois Senate floor.
But he faced criticism from boaters and other lawmakers for trying to turn the agency's responsibilities for dredging the popular Chain O' Lakes over to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
State Sen. Pam Althoff, a McHenry Republican and top opponent of the plan, had argued the state couldn't keep up.
"The IDNR doesn't have the resources to invest the time or energy to keep it navigable like the waterway (agency) is currently doing," Althoff said last month.
Legislation to create a study of the issue hasn't yet been considered by state lawmakers.