NW Illinois News

House Minority Leader Tony McCombie is urging residents of northwest Illinois to provide their input on the issue of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) and the measures taken by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to address it. The disease has affected areas within McCombie’s 89th Legislative District, which encompasses all of Carroll and Jo Daviess, as well as portions of Boone, DeKalb, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago counties.

After receiving feedback from constituents expressing concerns about the Department's strategies for managing CWD, McCombie is soliciting further input from local residents and hunters. "The CWD program has been considered to affect the deer population of northwest Illinois and as I continue to engage with hunters and the DNR to find a solution, I want to hear from those impacted on their ideas as to how we can move forward," McCombie stated.

McCombie has engaged with the state agency responsible for managing the ongoing CWD outbreak and is currently working towards legislation that will better accommodate constituent concerns. "Illinois residents, especially those in my district, are very unhappy with how the DNR has managed CWD and I am determined to engage with stakeholders on both sides of the issue to be a part of a solution."

To facilitate this process, McCombie is encouraging constituents to share their views by completing a survey available at Leader McCombie Sportsmen Survey – Illinois House Republicans (ilhousegop.org). The survey results will assist Leader McCombie in determining the most effective alternative management strategies for CWD. For any questions or concerns, residents are advised to contact Leader McCombie’s office by phone at 815-291-8989.