Plans for Chicago’s Pollution
On Monday, September 18, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and his team announced upcoming discussions with the City Council about pollution. He vowed to champion the campaign for the Cumulative Impact Assessment Ordinance. The campaign will be about new laws for southern and western neighborhoods that struggle with pollution. This comes after an in-depth assessment was made about the different pollution causes and what to be done to combat it.
Moreover, the organizations overseeing the analysis were the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Office of Climate & Environmental Equity (OCEE). As well as Chicago’s Environmental Equity Working Group (EEWG). In addition, the Chicago Recovery Plan supported the funding from May 2022 to August 2023. The Chicago Recovery Plan uses city bond funds as well as federal funding to create an economic recovery.
In September 2023, the Cumulative Impact Assessment was introduced, it was created over a 15-month process. The purpose was to find out the health, mental, and environmental causes and effects of pollution in Chicago n neighborhoods. Also, finding ways to make plans and proposed projects as environmentally safe as possible for the neighborhoods.
Cumulative Impact Assessment Plan (CIAP)
The values of the cumulative assessment impact are antiracism through challenging racist systems through policies and strategies. Their value of equity focuses on the consideration of those who are underserved and what needs need to be met environmentally. Also, it allows citizens to speak on their experiences themselves and not be spoken for when it comes to policies without the affected party’s voice. Lastly, taking accountability and transparency through sharing data, sources, and responsibility.
The neighborhoods that predominantly need help are called “Environmental Justice” neighborhoods. This term includes the Chicago neighborhoods of: Austin, East and West Garfield Park, North and South Lawndale, Englewood, and many more. Mayor Johnson’s campaign promised to put an end to what he called “literal sacrifice zones,” referring to Black and Brown neighborhoods. “Sacrifice zones” are the name for predominantly Black and Brown neighborhoods that tend to not be taken into account when it comes to industrial businesses. In these areas, necessary health regulations aren’t always taken into account. This goes for factories, demotion jobs, and construction work. Further, when these job sites don’t abide by regulations they cause pollution that can affect neighborhoods’ air, water, or soil. This can lead to negative effects on the health of those within these environments.
What They Plan to Do
Firstly, the CIAP looks to increase data collecting, reporting, and transparency. One of these plans is to expand the city’s community air monitoring network. In addition, they plan to track factories and their input and output air levels. As well as predict the path of air pollution using already existing data. This process, alongside a few others, will help in tracking air pollution sources and investigating air quality complaints. Also, the plan calls to track emissions from the responses to non-emergency calls. In addition, Chicago will also make all of the tracked data privy to the public through the various webpages and data sources.
Secondly, they look to reduce transportation emissions and effects, especially in very populated areas. The plans seek to reduce pollution from greenhouse gas emissions by promoting public transportation, especially in very dense areas as well as advising people to reduce using personal transportation. The CIAP plans also encourage areas with a higher number of industries to carpool or use shared bikes and scooters. It also plans to convert commercial use vehicles such as trains and buses to only electric use.
Thirdly, the plans state wanting to increase benefits for environmental justice. Such as increasing housing choices for low-income recipients. As well as funding for transit use, and reviving vacant lots. The CIAP also wants to reduce the odor and air pollution from asphalt plants, planting more trees and reducing the cutting down of older canopy trees, as well as increase organic waste collection and reduce waste sent to landfills.
The Goal
The environmental activist, Hazel Johnson said, “If we want a safe environment for our children and grandchildren, we must clean up our act, no matter how hard a task it might be.” This fundamental idea is what drives the cause to clean up Chicago for the better.
Written by AriAnna Rathers
Sources:
Chicago Gov: CITY OF CHICAGO 2023 EJACTION PLAN
WTTW: Mayor Brandon Johnson Vows to Pass New Law Protecting South, and West Sides from Pollution
Chicago Gov: Chicago’s Cumulative Impact Assessment
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of John W. Iwanski’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Image Courtesy of yooperann’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
