CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) RESOURCE CENTER Read More
Add To Favorites

Activists urge U.S. rep to block dumping of toxic material in East Chicago

Post-Tribune - 7/27/2017

July 27--A robust group of protesters gathered outside U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky'sMerrillville office Wednesday afternoon urging him to write a letter seeking to block a federal agency's request for a permit that would allow it to dump more toxic material dredged from the Indiana Harbor and Canal at an East Chicago open-container facility.

The protesters say they want the Merrillville Democrat to write a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency objecting to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' request for a permit that would allow it to dispose of higher levels of contaminants at the facility.

"We have come to remind the congressman that we will accept nothing less than a letter of objection," said the Rev. Cheryl Rivera, executive editor of the Northwest Indiana Federation of Interfaith Organizations. "We are tired of being dumped on. We are under toxic assault and we want no more."

Dozens of demonstrators gathered in front of Visclosky's office at 7895 Broadway in Merrillville chanting and holding signs, including one that read "Stop Poisoning East Chicago." Motorists driving on the heavily populated street often turned their heads and honked their horns as they drove by the cluster of protesters.

Two weeks ago the Community Strategy Group, an environmental advocacy group based in East Chicago, reached out to Visclosky seeking his support in its opposition to the Army Corps dumping sediments with higher toxicity levels at the confined disposal facility at 3500 Indianapolis Blvd.

During an emotional July 14 meeting, the group gave an hour-long presentation and vented its frustrations about the Army Corps' premit request pending before the EPA.

"I will not sign a letter saying that I oppose the permit," Visclosky said following the meeting.

Although Visclosky refused to write the EPA a letter explicitly opposing the Army Corps' permit request, he did write a letter to Robert Kaplan, acting regional administrator for EPA Region 5, relaying the concerns he heard during the environmental group's meeting.

"I would appreciate your assistance in making sure that these concerns are considered during the consideration of USACE's request," Visclosky wrote in a letter to Kaplan. "Further, as EPA and IDEM continue to review the request, I would ask that you continue to ensure that all applicable federal laws and regulations are adhered to in order that public health and safety is protected and the future public utilization of the CDF site is taken into consideration."

As part of the Army Corps' Indiana Harbor and Canal dredging project, the agency has been cleaning the canal since 2012. Under current regulations, the agency is permitted to dredge and store canal sediment that is below the 50 parts per million threshold. The Toxic Substance Control Act permit being sought by the Army Corps would allow the storage of PCB sediment with a concentration at or greater than 50 parts per million.

"PCB-contaminated sediment in the canal is a threat to humans and the ecosystem, including nearby Lake Michigan," Natalie Mills, the Army Corps' manager for the Indiana Harbor and Canal dredging project said previously. "(The Army Corps) proposes to safely dredge the sediment and place it in the (container disposal facililty), where it can be effectively monitored and managed to minimize any potential harmful health effects."

People at Wednesday's protest, however, expressed their frustration with the environmental landscape in East Chicago citing the high levels of lead and arsenic in the soil at the U.S.S Lead Superfund site.

"We've been dealing with the Superfund site for nearly a year," Rivera said. "Our community has already faced and endured the burden of environmental justice and environmental racism."

The confined disposal facility is less than a mile away from Carrie Gosch Elementary and East Chicago Central High.

"What we see over and over again is that people who are in local government positions are not dealing with these issues in the way that they should be dealing with them and putting the emphasis they should be on these environmental projects," Vincent Emanuele, of Michigan City said. "I'm asking as someone who once voted for Congressman Visclosky and who served this country, that we need our leadership to take a stance against these environmental injustices."

In regard to the Army Corps' permit application, Visclosky said he would continue to make sure that federal agencies hear the concerns of all East Chicago residents and that the law is properly applied for the people he represents.

The EPA is currently considering and reviewing all comments it's received and has not made a decision on whether it will grant the Army Corps the permit, according to EPA officials.

Visclosky said in an email that he appreciates the continued advocacy of the East Chicago Community Strategy Group and its legitimate concerns regarding the health and safety of each citizen in the community.

"I share their concerns, but do not have the technical or scientific expertise to determine the value of the permit application," Visclosky said in the email. "My role is to make sure that their voices are heard and that every provision of the law and every regulation are being adhered to properly."

jaanderson@tribpub.com

___

(c)2017 Post-Tribune (Merrillville, Ind.)

Visit the Post-Tribune (Merrillville, Ind.) at www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.