LETTERS

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FACTORY FARMS Where are all the factory farms in Illinois? The Illinois EPA (IEPA) still has no idea.

In early February, the Illinois Citizens for Clean Air and Water (ICCAW) and other groups filed comments to the Illinois Pollution Control Board (IPCB) due to IEPA’s lack of an accurate inventory of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in Illinois. ICCAW performed vigorous independent research using Illinois Department of Agriculture data obtained via the FOIA, secretary of state information and GIS mapping in an attempt to compile a correct accounting of CAFOs in Illinois. Astonishingly, we discovered as many as 560 CAFOs statewide, while the IEPA’s inventory only accounts for 254. This is just a snapshot of the deficiencies revealed by ICCAW’s independent research.

IEPA blames a lack of personnel and resources as their excuse and claims they will complete an accounting only as new complaints filter in about existing facilities and as existing resources allow for inspections. More than three years ago, the IEPA agreed to complete a comprehensive inventory of CAFOs after ICCAW filed a citizen complaint with the U.S. EPA under provisions of the Clean Water Act, which triggered a federal investigation. As a result, the federal EPA awarded a failing grade to the agency due to the lack of regulation of CAFOs. IEPA continues to resist an IPCB reporting rule that will finally lead to an accurate accounting of all CAFOs in Illinois and demonstrates a lack of commitment in regulating these massive operations that pollute land, air and water. Karen L. Hudson Dr. Kendall M. Thu Danielle Diamond Esq. cofounders, Illinois Citizens for Clean Air and Water

EGREGIOUS ERRORS In today’s (Feb. 26) Illinois Times letters section, there is an incredibly egregious error captioning the photograph, which says “...to vaccinate or not vaccinate children against illnesses such as autism....”

Autism is not an illness; it’s a “disorder.” People with autism aren’t ill; their brains work differently than “normal” people. The genius characters in the TV shows Scorpion and The Big Bang Theory are autistic. Many people in real life are like that.

They’ve discovered that autism is actually a surplus of neuronal connections. Secondly, there is no vaccine against autism or any other such disorder; vaccines only work for viral and bacterial illnesses, and are only useful for transmittable diseases such as measles or polio. You’ll never see a vaccine for cancer or heart disease.

Thirdly, fear of autism is what keeps people away from vaccinations, thanks to a discredited study that said the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine caused, rather than prevented, autism. Michael Hart doesn’t understand “how the vaccinated public is at risk from the unvaccinated.” They’re not. They’re not the ones Mr. Hart is endangering. He is risking the lives of all those people who cannot get vaccinations, such as infants younger than a year old, and these people are most at risk of death from that disease. That’s incredibly cold-hearted and selfish, and I hope he reconsiders his views. Steve McGrew Springfield

LET ME COUNT THE WAYS Congratulations to everyone at Illinois Times on the Feb. 26 issue. Never have I so strongly related to your weekly publication.

Rich Miller is always a joy to read because of his insightful perspective.

The same could be said for Erika Holst [see “Illinois governors in trouble,” Feb. 26]. Please do what you can to keep her on retainer. And since I worked for a few of those governors she wrote about (for me, over a 30-year career), her article brought home a few (many sad) memories. But that shows why history is valuable.

The article that really caught my interest was Phil Bradley’s “The meaning of Lincoln’s funeral.” About three years ago, I wrote a more concise summary of what he was expounding upon, albeit in poetic form. Come the big day in May, I plan to hand out to people along the route 4-by-6-inch postcards with the image on one side and the poem on the other, as my way of saying “thanks for coming.” Mark Flotow Springfield