Google 'Waukegan Harbor Illinois' and the first result is a Website titled 'Area of Concern.' Click on the link to learn about how the harbor suffers from beach closings, chemical contamination, and severly degraded fish and wildlife habitat. No wonder the generally gorgeous Great Lakes region is perceived as the Rust Belt.
Cleaning up the mess, a project once estimated to cost between $4 and $20 million, could add as much as $200 million in value to owner occupied residential properties in Waukegan and boost property values across Lake County, according to a recent study Dr. John Braden at the University of Illinois. That means average residential property values could increase by $21,000 to $53,000 once the harbor is free of contaminants.
The research is some of the clearest evidence to date confirming that a national investment in Great Lakes restoration is more than a one-dimensional environmental cleanup program. It's a mutli-dimensional investment that will have far reaching benefits for the region's economy, culture, and way of life.
Google 'Waukegan economy' and the third hit is a link to the Website of US Congressman Mark Steven Kirk. "No single project is more important to Waukegan's economy than the restoration of Waukegan Harbor," the congressman says.
A similiar statement could be extended to the entire Great Lakes region.
