September 22, 2003
For Immediate Release

New Study: Waukegan Harbor Will Raise Home Values by $53,000 Each
Kirk: "It's time to unlock Waukegan's true potential."

Waukegan, IL - U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Highland Park) highlighted a new Northeast-Midwest Institute and the University of Illinois study showing a dramatic increase in Waukegan property values if its harbor is cleaned up.

According to the study, the value of the average Waukegan home would increase by $53,000. Overall, the Institute estimates the cleanup will add over $800 million to Lake County property values. Congressman Kirk joined Waukegan Mayor Richard Hyde, EPA Regional Administrator Tom Skinner, Northeast-Midwest Institute Director Richard Munson and other state and local environmentalists at a public forum Monday in discussing the study.

Congressman Kirk obtained federal funds to find the precise location of the harbor's PCB-contamination and the cost of removing it. Recent sampling in January, 2003, showed PCB levels were lower than anticipated and cleanup costs may be lower than expected.

"The key to unlocking Waukegan's economic potential lies in the environmental cleanup of the harbor," said Kirk.

The danger of contaminated sediments centers on PolyChlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) dumped by the now bankrupt Outboard Marine Corporation. The federal government listed Waukegan Harbor as one of the first "National Priority" sites under the Superfund law of 1980. In 1981, the harbor was designated as a "Great Lakes Area of Concern by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)."

Efforts to clean up the harbor proceeded in stages under a 1990 remedial action plan. Two stages of the plan were completed by 1995. Since that time, the definition of what is "clean" is more restrictive. Current estimates show there are approximately 10,000 dump trucks of sediment containing low levels of residual PCBs remaining in the harbor. This would require a dredging of the harbor down to the original glacial till. The removal of these contaminants will permit federal officials to remove Waukegan Harbor from the "Area of Concern" list. The harbor will then be on an "Area of Recovery" list. Cleanup of the harbor is essential to attracting commercial and recreational investment, as well as increasing the area's appeal to new homeowners and tourists.

"Waukegan must embrace an environmental future. Racine and Kenosha have already led the way, with far fewer lakefront acres available. Waukegan offers the largest opportunity yet for recovery with over 1,600 acres of lakefront property available for environmental redevelopment. I discussed Waukegan's potential with prominent investment bankers who estimated the harbor site could be worth up to one billion dollars" said Rep. Kirk.

"City officials have already made the commitment to revitalize the downtown area. It is time to unlock Waukegan's economic potential by eliminating pollution in Waukegan Harbor. The success of Waukegan's revitalization depends on it."

The city of Waukegan lost $257 million in home values due to pollution in Waukegan Harbor. Under the study, thousands of homeowners answered questions about their house values and views about the harbor. The answers to the survey showed a full cleanup of the harbor would lift the value of the average home in Waukegan by $53,000.

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