“Both the public and lawmakers have expressed a serious concern with the safety, environmental impact and disruptiveness of live-fire exercises on Lake Michigan, and I commend the Coast Guard for putting such exercises on hold as they explore alternate options,” said Durbin. “Today’s decision shows that the Coast Guard is committed to doing so in a way that keeps Chicago area residents and businesses safe and informed.”

As of December 18, 2006, the Coast Guard will withdraw the current Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which would have established 34 permanent water training areas on the Great Lakes for live fire gunnery training exercises. Among the options the Coast Guard will consider for this training are: conducting live-fire training elsewhere and using simulators.

Except in cases of emergency, there will be no further live-fire training exercises until a new rule is published. Factors that will be considered as the Coast Guard evaluates alternate options and new rules for training are:

Last week, Durbin met with a group of concerned citizens in Highland Park to discuss the safety and environmental issues associated with the Coast Guard's plan. In November, Durbin wrote to the Commandant of the Coast Guard, Admiral Thad W. Allen, expressing concern that the original proposal did not provide a means to adequately inform the public about training exercises and also expressing concern about the number of zones on Lake Michigan and the timing of their possible use.