WHO KNEW GARY, INDIANA, WAS ENVIRONMENTALLY PROTECTED LAND?

     The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says the process of winning
approval from federal regulators to fill wetlands on the proposed
site of a new Bears stadium in Gary will take "at least a year,"
according to this morning's CHICAGO TRIBUNE.  And if the Corps
requires a detailed environmental impact statement, "Super Bowl
XXXIV in the year 2000 may come and go before a decision is
made."  Indiana officials hope to have a stadium ready by the
time the Bears' Soldier Field lease expires in '99.  Once the
group files a formal application to fill the wetlands, the Corps
will have a public-notice period of about 30 days.  But according
to the Corps' Project Manager David Gesl, if the project is
deemed to have a major impact on the wetland, the Corps can
require a full environmental impact statement which could stretch
out the final decision on the project for up to five years
(Swanson & Christian, CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/21).