Items listed under State Documents have been received by the Documents Unit, Illinois State Library, Springfield, and are usually available from public libraries in the state through inter-library loan. Issuing agencies may have copies available. For items listed under Other Reports, write to the publisher as noted.

State Documents

■ A Preliminary Environmental Assessment of the Contamination Associated with Lake Calumet — Cook County, Illinois, Hazardous Waste Research and Information Center, 1808 Woodfield Drive, Savoy 61874 (February 1988), 142 pp.

During late 1987 and early 1988 researchers from the State Natural History Survey, State Geological Survey, State Water Survey and DePaul University conducted a multidisciplinary study of the various basins within Lake Calumet. The results, which showed that the lake is a severely disturbed ecosystem that may present a danger to the surrounding community, indicate that further study is needed. The area to be looked at should include stations from wetlands, ponds and small streams within the Lake Calumet drainage basin.

■ Inventory of Lake Michigan Research Projects 1984-1987, compiled by Nancy Peterson Holm for State Geological Survey Division, Department of Energy and Natural Resources, 615 E. Peabody Dr., Champaign 61820 (1987), 423 pp.

The research projects included in this inventory are listed in alphabetical order according to the last name of the primary investigator. Information provided includes dates of the project, area of the lake being studied, a description of the study and a series of key words describing it. These key words are also listed at the end in alphabetical order to assist readers in finding topics of interest. Municipal Sludge Management Planning and Policy Options, Department of Energy and Natural Resources, 325 W. Adams, Rm. 300, Spungfield 62704 (November 1987), 236 pp.

■ Municipal Sludge Management Planning and Policy Options, Department of Energy and Natural Resources, 325 W. Adams, Rm. 300, Springfield 62704 (November 1987), 236 pp.

Four methods are available for the use or disposal of the sludge that is produced through the wastewater treatment process: land application, distribution and marketing, landfilling, and incineration. This publication provides local decisionmakers with information about the factors that affect the various choices that can be made.

■ Detecting Drought Conditions in Illinois, by Stanley A. Changnon Jr., Illinois State Water Survey Division, Department of Energy and Natural Resources, 2204 Griffith Dr., Champaign 61820 (December 1987), 36 pp.

Those who must deal with aspects of drought need to know whether a drought is developing, how severe the drought is at any given time and how long the drought will last. This report gives procedures for assessing drought presence and severity. Routine monitoring of certain conditions can detect the onset of a drought. Methods for determining the end of drought are not perfect and offer only an estimate.

■ Solid Waste Management Alternatives: Review of Policy Options to Encourage Waste Reduction, Department of Energy and Natural Resources, 325 W. Adams St., Rm. 300, Springfield 62704 (February 1988), 70 pp.

Waste reduction, which is ultimately the preferred method of solid waste management, may be encouraged through regulation, financial incentives and/or disincentives, and through research and education. This report outlines several policy options that encourage both post-consumer and industrial waste reduction.

■ IRAPP: Preliminary Evaluation of the Illinois Residential Affordable Payment Program, Department of Energy and Natural Resources and Illinois Commerce Commission; available from DENR, 325 W. Adams St., Springfield 62704 (February 1988), 287 pp.

Started in December 1985, the Illinois Residential Affordable Payment Program (IRAPP) was designed to ensure the availability and affordability of heating and electric services to low-income households by guaranteeing continuous service to those who pay 12 percent of their income toward utility bills. A key finding of this preliminary evaluation is that the program reduced disconnections of full-year participants to about 4 percent, compared to 15 percent for eligible nonparticipants. The evaluation also showed that the program cost from $62 to $259 per participant household and that only 21 percent of those who participate remain with the program for an entire year.

■ Elder Abuse, Department on Aging, 421 E. Capitol, Springfield 62701 (May 1988), 16 pp.

Between March 1985 and July 1987 the Department on Aging evaluated four state-funded elder abuse demonstration projects to determine their extent, cost and effectiveness. This report summarizes that evaluation. Of 642 cases of elder abuse reported, 72 percent were substantiated. The evaluation also showed that 62 percent of the abusers were family caregivers, the most frequent form of abuse was financial exploitation, and abuse reocurred in 8.6 percent of the total cases reported. Jan Costello, director of the department, feels that a statewide elder abuse intervention program should be a priority for the state. To date the General Assembly has not appropriated any funds for such a program.

■ Mandates and Money, State Board of Education, 100 N. First, Springfield 62777 (April 1988), 65 pp.

In December 1987 State Supt. of Education Ted Sanders appointed a 10-member task force to analyze and evaluate the requirements that have been placed by the General Assembly on the state's public elementary and secondary schools. These were divided into eight categories: instruction and accountability, special programs, special services, organization and administration, finance and business, personnel, health and safety, and those that are unique to the Chicago School District. For each mandate the report provides the committee's consensus on a number of questions: Whether the mandate reflects an important state interest and is appropriately stated, the extent of its impact on learning and/or teaching time, its impact on the management of a district, its financial impact, whether it should be retained regardless of funding or only if it is funded, whether it should be eliminated, and whether it should be changed.

Other Reports

■ Report to the State Board of Education on the Governance of Adult Education, Adult Education Task Group, Illinois State Board of Education, 100 N. First St., Springfield 62777 (January 1988), 85 pp.

This report provides background information and supporting arguments for the recommendation to transfer the responsibility for the governance of adult education from the Illinois State Board of Education to the Illinois Community College Board. The primary justification for such a transfer is that an increased focus on comprehensive adult services would result, making it likely that such services would be improved. The task group also recommends that the transition activities should begin in fiscal year 1989 with final transference of governance to be completed in fiscal 1990.

■ The Cook-Witter Report, 625 S. Second, Springfield 62704; telephone (217) 789-6252.

Cook-Witter Inc. is a governmental consulting firm. Its Report appears weekly, and each (usually) four-page issue is devoted to a discussion of a pressing state policy topic, state agency or some aspect of the governmental process. The regular reader should be able to gain a good deal of insight into the work of this state's government. Subscriptions are available for $12/year and 25 cents for additional copies to the same address.

Anna J. Merritt

July 1988 | Illinois Issues | 37