Letter to the Editors of the Chicago Tribune - Letters: How to save Lake Michigan's shoreline

Letter

The Tribune's recent reporting on flooding in Illinois and the damage being done to the Lake Michigan shoreline ("Shoreline under siege," Jan. 19) should open our eyes to the impact extreme weather is having on our environment, infrastructure and economy.

It was this very paper that once asked readers what they loved most about Chicago. One answer stood tall among the rest: Lake Michigan. Chicagoans enjoy Lake Michigan for recreation, for clean drinking water and for the beauty it adds to our city. The Lakefront Trail allows for running, biking or walking, and plenty of folks enjoy just sitting near the shore and relaxing.

Sadly, the waves crashing along the shoreline up and down the city in two recent storms are examples of the extreme weather that is jeopardizing our city's shoreline and all that it offers. Our beaches are getting smaller due to the record-high lake levels. And erosion caused by gusty winds and crashing waves is damaging the shoreline's recreational infrastructure and housing.

It is time for lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to recognize the challenge climate change presents and support legislation that addresses both mitigation and resiliency.

Along with a bipartisan group of senators, I've repeatedly called on the Trump administration to move forward with funding and completing the Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study. This study would identify areas in the Great Lakes that are vulnerable to climate change and recommend measures and infrastructure to increase resilience. I've also called on the Army Corps of Engineers to help expand the shoreline project to additional sections of the lakeshore and protect against rising lake levels. I recently spoke to Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works R.D. James, who oversees the Army Corps, and urged him to make these projects a top priority in this year's budget.

The bottom line is this: We need to wake up and work together to strengthen our shorelines by letting science, not politics, guide our actions. Lake Michigan has been great to us, and it's about time we return the favor.

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