Chambana Sun

U.S. Representative Mary Miller expressed her opposition to a proposed national park in a Facebook post dated October 17, stating, "I agree with the Calhoun and Jersey County boards and oppose the proposal to turn hunting grounds into a national park."

"I agree with the Calhoun and Jersey County boards and oppose the proposal to turn hunting grounds into a national park," said Miller, according to Facebook. "Our communities do not want to sacrifice local control to the federal government."

In 2023, AltonWorks put forward a plan for the creation of the Great Rivers National Park. According to a report by the Alton Telegraph on November 28, 2023, the proposed park would cover an area of 144 miles and include 135,000 acres. John Simmons, CEO of AltonWorks, addressed the Alton Riverfront Committee meeting regarding this proposal.

Screenshot of Congressman Mary Miller's Oct. 17 Facebook post | U.S. Rep. Mary Miller's Facebook page

"Alton has many incredible assets," Simmons said. He emphasized that "the combination of the riverfront, the Clark Bridge, marina, and the historic downtown area makes the perfect setting for a national park and could attract tens of millions of dollars each year to the city, state and regional economies." Simmons also said that they aim "to help Alton reach its potential" by attracting people "of all ages to live, work and play here." He added that together they could transform "the riverfront into a national treasure and family-friendly outdoor recreation destination."

Miller published a statement in the Calhoun-News Herald reiterating her stance against the proposed park. She said: "I agree with my constituents in Calhoun, Jersey, and Madison Counties who oppose the proposal to place a national park along the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers." Miller noted that "the county boards of both Calhoun and Jersey Counties have formally passed resolutions opposing this proposal because of the threat that it poses to local hunters, local businesses, and local control free of interference from the federal government." She further mentioned that several communities potentially affected by this proposal were not included in decision-making processes.

Mary Miller currently serves as a U.S. Congresswoman representing Illinois’ 15th district since replacing John Shimkus in 2021. Born in Oak Park, Illinois in 1959, she graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a Bachelor’s degree. Residing in Oakland with her husband on their family farm, she is also mother to seven children and grandmother to twenty grandchildren.