Statement from Governor Rod R. Blagojevich

CHICAGO - "This is certainly a major victory for one of our greatest natural assets.  We all will pay the price for sacrificing our environment for short-term economic gains.  We are very pleased and thank BP for realizing that its plan to dump more pollutants into Lake Michigan was unacceptable and can't move forward.  We can expand our economy while protecting our environment, and we will continue to work with BP and other companies across the state to show them how to accomplish both of these very important goals.  By working with our partners across the Midwest, we will also continue to explore ways to strengthen requirements and standards for emissions into the Great Lakes."