Morgan Shoal - Pebble Beach Chicago

04/14/2026

Join us at the beach in 2 weeks! Besides cleaning up winter's detritus, we'll be talking about the latest news on the city's reconstruction plan. Maybe we can still ! You'll also meet students from Roosevelt University who are passionate about green initiatives and ocean preservation, and learn how to get involved.

03/29/2026

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CDBjvdH3eBa8IfpgQzdK_J5yfAbGvSQh/view?usp=drivesdk

Advocates for Morgan Shoal created this response to the NEPA review held by the Army Corps. We will follow up with posting some of our friends' responses. To be included in this community commentary, send yours to [email protected]. Now that the undemocratic process of shorefront design and environmental review has ended, please know how grateful we are to everyone who spoke to power on behalf of our rocky beach!

03/29/2026

C. Frietag published this article in the Chicago Tribune March 22nd. It's an in-depth look at what is unique about this last wild area of the Chicago Shoreline, and some of what we stand to lose if and when the Army Corps' plan is realized. Construction is now slated to begin later this year. Heartfelt thanks to Christiana!

Hyde Park residents and advocates fear an Army Corps erosion plan to protect the lakefront could harm the rare natural refuge in Hyde Park.

10/29/2025

Come to our workshop this Wednesday, October 29, 6-8 PM, for a deep dive into the NEPA documents, and tutorial on writing/sending comments to the Army Corps in response. At the Ancona School, 4770 S Dorchester Ave, Chicago, IL 60615.

The comment period is still open, but who knows for how long. Let's get those letters sent in!

The workshop will be available on zoom:
https://act.sierraclub.org/events/details?formcampaignid=701Po00001Fx0MHIAZ&iframe=tr

Link to USACE docs relating to the draft SEA:
https://www.lrd.usace.army.mil/News/Project-Documents-Notices-Public-Review/Display/Article/4252283/morgan-shoal-revetment-reconstruction-45th-51st-street-draft-supplemental-envir/

09/19/2025

https://www.lrd.usace.army.mil/News/Project-Documents-Notices-Public-Review/Display/Article/4252283/morgan-shoal-revetment-reconstruction-45th-51st-street-draft-supplemental-envir/

Here it is - the project page for the Army corp's Morgan Shoal rebuild. Note, reconstruction rather than rehabilitation. We'll be delving into specifics soon enough - take a look. A lot of this is work done previously, or based on work that is dated. The SEA (Supplemental Environmental Assessment) is a "draft", pending the Colonel's deliberation after the 45 day comment period. This is to comply with the NEPA law, and they have preliminarily assigned a FONSI (finding of no significant impact) on the environment. Many documents they have relied on are linked here (I hope).

Send your comments to [email protected]., and cc: [email protected]

09/17/2025

End of summer cleanup at Pebble Beach this Saturday, Sep. 20, at 11:30-1:30. Advocates for Morgan Shoal is collaborating with Alliance for the Great Lakes on this one.
Learn more about the recently released NEPA document from the Army Corps, and how to submit comments.

08/21/2025

This early June, 2025, letter from the USACE (army corps) informed the public that they are working on the NEPA (environmental review) and Section 106 (historical review) pieces that are mandated before beginning construction.
Quote:
"Based on the level of potential impacts, we are preparing a Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA), which will conclude with either a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) or a determination that an Environmental Impact Statement is needed.
The draft SEA document is currently undergoing internal District and legal reviews.
Once reviews are completed, the Draft SEA will be released for public review. A Public Notice will be published on USACE’s website (https://www.lrd.usace.army.mil/News/Project-Documents-Notices-Public-Review/Category/24681/chicago/) and stakeholders on the Project distribution list will receive a Notice of Availability (NOA) email."

"Please feel free to forward onto additional interested parties that wish to be added to the public notice distribution list and please notify me with any questions at [email protected]. "
Get yourself on the email distribution list by emailing the address above! After the SEA is published, we have only 45 days to submit comments, and how much that matters to the Army Corps is yet to be seen.

08/21/2025

This recent letter from the State Historic Preservation Office has weight in pushing back on the Army Corps' intention to separate Promontory Point from Morgan Shoal by replacing the MOA (Memorandum of Agreement) of 1993 with a PA (Programmatic Agreement) which covers Promontory Point but not Morgan Shoal. This would make it easier for them to go ahead and redevelop Morgan Shoal without a PA or coverage by the original MOA.

"We concur with the ACHP and Consulting Parties that the Corps revise the amendment to reflect a preservation-based
approach to the work at both Promontory Point and Morgan Shoal. In addition, we prefer that Morgan Shoal continue to be
part of the draft Programmatic Agreement to ensure that it is treated as sensitively as we hope the Corps will treat
Promontory Point.

08/19/2025

Designers Unveil Their Latest Plan for Morgan Shoal | Evening Digest | hpherald.com https://share.google/mmDVl7TGupxwR4nyh

The Hyde Park Herald reports on the update meeting held by the city (the usual players) in late June, where they reiterated their latest version of the tired old reworking of the 2015 Morgan Shoal Framework Plan for Pebble Beach. The release of the NEPA draft environmental assessment is imminent, as they check the boxes before lining up their trucks.

The public is invited to comment on the Army Corps' proposal following the release of its supplemental environmental assessment (SEA). Sign up to be added to the public notice distribution list by emailing Samantha Belcik at the USACE.
[email protected]

"The public can participate in the NEPA process by submitting comments identifying environmental issues, concerns, or alternatives for consideration. Comments regarding the Section 106 effects determination will also be received during the public review period."

The public review period will last 45 days from the release of the SEA, with a dedicated email to send comments to. We are hoping that some of you can suggest a means of collecting all citizen comments submitted to the Army Corps in a public forum that all can see. Please email [email protected] with ideas.

Several inconsistencies were noticed at the recent meeting: there was no consensus on how far they've gone with their plans (40%, 60%, 90%?). Also, Michael Padilla, the project manager, USACE, stated they don't yet have the funds. Hmmm. The design still includes covering up what's there with landfill and Armor Stone, creating a new shoreline farther into the lake, building an underwater breakwater in between the Shoal and the shore, and building a promontory to the north, which will cut down on replenishment of pebbles/sand and change wave action - the very thing that produces the unique pebbles that are the hallmark of this beach.

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04/17/2025

Come for the third annual Pebble Beach Earth Day cleanup, April 26, 10:30-12:30! Sponsored jointly by Advocates for Morgan Shoal and Friends of the Parks, as part of FOTP's Earth Day cleanups all around Chicago. We're getting ready for one more glorious summer at Pebble Beach, and we continue to work to influence the city, whose reconstruction plan still involves covering up this unique landscape and ecosystem with landfill. Join us for Earth Day to learn more, find trash and treasures, build with rocks, and make art!
Sign up here: (or when you arrive) https://signup.com/go/FHpZaRw

06/30/2024

Thanks to the Hyde Park Herald and Marc Monaghan for continued coverage of the process of "community engagement" about the redesign of Morgan Shoal. Fact: the community group Advocates for Morgan Shoal was shut out of open house space, but displayed materials in the hallway, including a People's Rendering with our proposals suggested to the designers. See more at our website, linked above.

Relations between the city and preservation advocates over the proposed redesign of the Morgan Shoal shoreline hit troubled waters last week at the latest community meeting for the project.