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Groundwater Advisory Council

The Groundwater Advisory Council (GAC) is composed of nine public members appointed by the Governor, including two persons representing environmental interests, two persons representing industrial and commercial interests, one person representing agricultural interests, one person representing local government interests, one person representing a regional planning agency, one person representing public water supplies, and one person representing the water well driller industry. The GAC is required to:

  1. Review, evaluate, and make recommendations regarding state laws, regulations, and procedures that relate to groundwater protection;
  2. Review, evaluate, and make recommendations regarding the state's efforts to implement this Act and to generally protect the groundwater of the state;
  3. Make recommendations relating to the state's needs for groundwater research; and
  4. Review, evaluate, and make recommendations regarding groundwater data collection and analyses.

The current GAC members are as follows:

  • Lauren Lurkins, Illinois Farm Bureau, Agricultural Interests
  • Dawn Walker, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (Chicago), Environmental Interests
  • C. Pius Weibel, Ph.D., Illinois State Geological Survey (retired), Environmental Interests
  • Robert Elvert, Exxon-Mobil (retired), Industrial & Commercial Interests
  • Monica Rios, Deere & Company, Industrial & Commercial Interests
  • John D. Liberg, Illinois Association of Groundwater Professional, Water Well Driller Industry Interests

Meeting Agendas

May 2, 2023 Meeting Agenda

October 19, 2022  Meeting Agenda

October 4, 2022 Meeting Agenda 

August 25, 2021 Meeting Agenda

July 19, 2021 Meeting Agenda

June 16, 2021 Meeting Agenda

Interagency Coordination Committee on Groundwater 

The IGPA required the creation of the Interagency Coordination Committee on Groundwater (ICCG). The Committee is chaired by the director of the Illinois EPA or designee and has members from ten state agencies/departments which have some jurisdiction over groundwater. The ICCG continues to review and update an Implementation Plan and Regulatory Agenda pursuant to the IGPA. The following is a list of participating agencies/departments on the Committee:

  • Environmental Protection Agency - (Chair) Richard P. Cobb, designee
  • Department of Natural Resources - Tom Heavisides, designee
    • Office of Water Resources – Arlan Juhl, designee
    • Office of Mines and Minerals - Vickie Broomhead, designee
  • Department of Public Health - Dave Johnson, designee
  • Office of the Fire Marshal - Fred Schneller, designee
  • Department of Agriculture – Warren Goetsch, designee
  • Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity – Dan Wheeler, designee
  • Illinois Emergency Management Agency - Adnan G. Khayyat, designee

In addition, Don Keefer, Hydrogeology Section, Illinois State Geological Survey; Walt Kelly, Center for Groundwater Science, Illinois State Water Survey; Kelly Warner, United States Geological Survey, and Jim Curtis from the Illinois Department of Transportation also serve on the ICCG.

The ICCG continues to hold quarterly meetings. The Committee has met regularly since 1988 to address groundwater protection issues. The ICCG has continued to assist with coordination associated with the GAC by providing Committee meeting agendas and minutes. The ICCG has also continued to review and make recommendations on groundwater research, data collection, and dissemination programs. The Committee has been successful in coordinating and assisting in many aspects of the groundwater protection program.

The ICCG, as well as its subcommittees and work groups, have helped to provide a cooperative process to develop and implement groundwater protection programs.

For further information Contact Page

September 22, 2021 Meeting Agenda

Reports