March 11, 2021

Environmental & Conservation Groups Call for Legal Action on Siting of General Iron

An open letter to Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, and Acting Administrator of EPA Region 5 Cheryl Newton to take legal action to stop General Iron.

We stand with the community advocates who are challenging the siting and operation of the General Iron metal scrapping facility on the Southeast Side of Chicago. General Iron was no longer allowed to continue operating in the Lincoln Park community largely due to its pollution actions and violations. General Iron is now attempting to move its facilities to the Southeast Side.

The Southeast Side community has long been burdened by an excessive number of highly-polluting facilities and contaminated sites that cause unacceptable public health harms and environmental toxic threats.  We urge you and the City of Chicago, Governor Pritzker and the Illinois EPA, and EPA Region 5 Acting Administrator Newton to take appropriate legal actions to stop the siting and operation of the General Iron metal shredding facility on the Southeast Side of Chicago.  Thank you for your consideration.

Signed,

Active Transportation Alliance
Alliance for the Great Lakes
Audubon Great Lakes
Calumet Collaborative
Center for Neighborhood Technology
Chicago Audubon
Current
Earthjustice
Elevate
Environmental Law & Policy Center
Faith in Place
Friends of the Chicago River
Friends of the Forest Preserves
Friends of the Parks
Illinois Environmental Council
Metropolitan Planning Council
Natural Resources Defense Council
Nuclear Energy Information Service
Openlands
PERRO
Respiratory Health Association
Shared Use Mobility Center
Sierra Club
The Conservation Foundation
The Nature Conservancy
The Wetlands Initiative