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LOCAL News :: Civil & Human Rights : Environment : Urban Development

Will County Green Party Condemns IDOT Threat

The Will County Green Party is criticizing the Illinois Department of Transportation's decision to send letters to a number of residents in Eastern Will County, threatening them with Eminent Domain lawsuits if they do not agree to sell their property within 60 days.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – February 4, 2007

WILL COUNTY GREEN PARTY CONDEMNS IDOT THREAT

CONTACT:
George Ochsenfeld, Member
Will County Green Party
ochsenfeld (at) aol.com
708-534-7319

The Will County Green Party is criticizing the Illinois Department of Transportation's decision to send letters to a number of residents in Eastern Will County, threatening them with Eminent Domain lawsuits if they do not agree to sell their property within 60 days. Approximately 20 residents received certified letters from the Department on Thursday, which include the following:

"Pursuant to 735 ILCS 5/7-102.1, this Department is required to provide you with this certified letter at least 60 days before filing a petition with any court to initiate an Eminent Domain action. It is our intent, however, to continue to seek a negotiated agreement with you within this 60-day period and to avoid litigation if at all possible.

We are also required to inform you that, in the absence of a negotiated agreement, it is the intention of this Department to initiate Eminent Domain proceedings."

The party notes that Article 7 of the Illinois Code of Civil Procedure (735 ILCS 5) was repealed, in its entirety, by Public Act 94-1055 on 1/1/07. Public Act 94-1055 became law on 7/28/2006.

"The Illinois Department of Transportation is trying to strong-arm these residents into selling their homes, so that private parties can profit from an airport for which no need has been proven, no airline has agreed to use, and for which FAA approval, if given, is at least three years away." said Tim Tacker, former Chair of the county Green Party.

The Green Party is the only legally established, major party in Will County officially on record as being opposed to the construction of the proposed airport. Democrats and Republicans both support construction of the airport but disagree about funding, ownership, and control. Greens have argued that the proposed airport is unnecessary and will significantly contribute to urban sprawl and pollution in a congested area that already fails to meet federal air quality standards.

Rich Whitney, the Green Party's candidate for Illinois Governor in 2006, is a member of Shut This Airport Nightmare Down, a non-profit, 5000 member grassroots organization opposed to construction of, and land banking for, the proposed airport in Eastern Will County. Whitney has suggested that the State instead invest in an environmentally friendly and job-creating statewide high-speed rail project, such as one proposed by the Midwest High Speed Rail Association.

MORE INFORMATION:

Will County Green Party
www.wcgp.org/

Shut This Airport Nightmare Down
www.nothirdairport.org/

Midwest High Speed Rail Association
www.midwesthsr.org/

DISCLAIMER:

This release was not authorized, agreed to, issued, or in any other way endorsed by Shut This Airport Nightmare Down or the Midwest High Speed Rail Association. This release is an exclusive publication of the Will County Green Party. A copy of our report filed with the State Board of Elections and the county clerk is (or will be) available for purchase from the State Board of Elections, Springfield, Illinois, and from the county clerk, 302 N. Chicago St., Joliet, Illinois.

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