Melissa Bean is working to ban oil and gas drilling in the Great Lakes, as she promised repeatedly in 2004.
At 12:45 p.m., in a basement room in the Capitol, I am at a press conference with Emanuel, Bean and Schakowsky, plus two Michigan Democratic lawmakers. The Illinoisans’ districts span the lakefront from the Wisconsin border to Armitage Avenue in Chicago. The group tried and failed Tuesday to attach an amendment to the pending energy bill, a sweeping piece of legislation, to ban oil and gas drilling in the Great Lakes. They said they will try again. There are 16 rigs offshore in Michigan.