MEDIA ADVISORY AND DAYBOOK ITEM FOR WEDNESDAY, NOV. 16, 2022
MEDIA ADVISORY AND DAYBOOK ITEM FOR WEDNESDAY, NOV. 16, 2022
Contact:
Carlos Enriquez, CEJN, cenriquez@chicagoejn.org 815-342-5717
Ivan Moreno, NRDC, imoreno@nrdc.org, 773-799-6455
Groups Shut Out of Process to Call on Pritzker Administration to Suspend Sale of Damen Silos
Residents Want the Pritzker Administration to Delay the Sale of Damen Silos after Rushed Process Without Community Input
WEDNESDAY, Environmental, community and health groups will call on the Pritzker administration to delay the sale of the Damen Silos to a controversial asphalt operator in McKinley Park. The Silos were recently put up for sale by the State of Illinois and have announced a winning bid without community input or accountability of the winning bidder.
Residents from across Chicago’s Southwest Side will gather to express concerns about the murky details surrounding the sale and the potential impact of more toxic industry for a community that is already saturated with pollution from trucking and industry.
Little Village activists will speak about the disaster caused by the Hilco implosion and urge State officials to take special precautions before any similar plans are in place for the Damen Silos.
When: Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, at 11am Central Time
Where: via Zoom:
streaming at facebook.com/n4ejchicago
Who:
Moderator: Alfredo Romo, Executive Director Neighbors For Environmental Justice
Jose Acosta, Senior Transportation Policy Analyst Little Village Environmental Justice Organization
Anna Schibrowsky, Bridgeport Alliance
Dany Robles, Illinois Green New Deal Coordinator
Sunrise Movement
Ward Miller, Executive Director Preservation Chicago
Background:
Michael Tadin is the owner of MAT Asphalt, a hot mix asphalt plant that was issued a construction permit by the Illinois EPA in 2017 without any public notice or community input.
Here are some resources to put it in context:
IEPA emails about how they failed to conduct an environmental justice review
a drone video showing McKinley Park and the plant operating across the street
a timelapse of the plant starting up showing the impact on air quality
a satellite photo showing how close the facility is to the National Latino Education Institute (NLEI) and to Horizon Charter School (their playground is shockingly close to the piles of bulk material).
an analysis of hundreds complaints filed with the Illinois EPA and 311
Teachers at Horizon have complained about dust blanketing their cars. The National Latino Education Institute has at times been forced to turn off their air conditioning because it was pulling in fumes from the plant.
MAT Asphalt is currently suing Chicago to overturn fines for air pollution; last year they had more 311 air pollution complaints than any other address in the city.
The state's press release also references his other companies. They have their own troubled environmental record. Between MT Trucking, Marina Cartage, and T&B Limited, there is a documented history of illegal dumping and unlicensed waste transfer stations going back decades. That includes instructing their drivers to flee before police arrived and blocking inspectors from entering their property until one of the Tadins arrived.
In a separate incident that speaks to his character, Michael Tadin also planted hedges on park district property to make it appear to be his own front yard.
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