Crawford Coal Power Plant & LV ICMP Update
January 15, 2019
We are hoping to share with you that on Tuesday, January 22, 2019 at 10:30am the Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development for the City of Chicago City Council will discuss and vote on R2018-1394, a Class 6(b) tax incentive measure to allow the former Crawford Coal Power Plant to be torn down and the surrounding site to be redeveloped into a massive, million-square-foot warehousing and distribution center as part of a $100 million project by multi-billion-dollar corporation Hilco Global. As the Daily Line reported, if approved, the property would be assessed to 10 percent of its market value for the first 10 years, 15 percent in the 11th year and 20 percent in the 12th year. The Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO) strongly opposes R2018-1394 and will testify against this measure at Thursday’s hearing.
This rescheduled committee meeting hearing was originally slated for Tuesday, January 14, at 1:00 pm and was cancelled 30 minutes prior to its start time. We encourage supporters of the Little Village community’s right to a healthy environment, fair wages, safe streets, and equitable community development to join us on Thursday. We have enclosed our testimony below. We are also sharing with you an update on the Little Village (LV) Industrial Corridor Modernization Process (ICMP) below. Please share the flyer, and we hope you can join us to demand that both the redevelopment of the Crawford Coal Power Plant and the LV ICMP process be halted to allow for more robust and accountable community planning.
LVEJO Testimony on R2018-1394:
Good afternoon, my name is Kimberly Wasserman, Executive Director of the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization. I am here today to ask the Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development to vote no on R2018-1394, an enormous handout to Hilco Global. The development of this site by Hilco for the purposes of massive tenant contracted warehousing, distribution, fulfillment and e-commerce operations is NOT one supported by the Little Village community.
Our community already suffers from a high incidence of asthma that puts high cost burdens on our city, county and state health care systems. Among Illinois residents in 2011, there were more than 20,200 asthma hospitalizations, at a total cost of $383.3 million†. The proposed financial incentives would fund a facility that would severely increase local air pollution, putting the lungs of our community and the local health systems under even higher burdens. Diesel-powered vehicles and equipment characteristic of the stated plans for the site account for nearly half of all nitrogen oxides (NOx) and more than two-thirds of all particulate matter (PM) emissions from US transportation sources. Particulate matter irritates the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs, contributing to respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses and even premature death.†
Our community’s infrastructure and safety already cannot handle the current levels of truck traffic. One example is the intersection at Pulaski and 31st street just three blocks north of the site, which is already averaging 4.4 diesel trucks per minute.
Our community’s youth is on the front lines of this proposed plan, with 8,000 students attending schools in Little Village within one mile of the former Crawford Coal Power Plant.
This should NOT be a development that receives financial incentives. Hilco is a multi- billion-dollar corporation that does not need the money. As the company publicly stated at the two community meetings in Little Village that they hosted, Hilco claimed that their plan required no financial incentives from the city or other jurisdictions and would not rely on any taxpayer dollars whatsoever.
This kind of development is not needed for economic growth or workforce opportunities in Little Village. 26th street in in LV is already the second highest grossing commercial district in the City of Chicago. 26th Street is already generating significant opportunities –opportunities that are supported by the community. Additionally, community residents have a different vision for economic growth that will not come tied to sacrificing the local community to yet another industrial polluter and will not be saddled with the cost burdens that will come to the city and county systems, as well as other clinics, as a consequence of health impacts.
Numerous studies looking at conditions of workers in warehousing and distribution
operations in Will County have found 63% of workers in warehouses were temps. The majority
of warehouse workers made poverty level wages, and the temps had it worse than direct hires.
The median hourly wage for a temp was $9.00 an hour, $3.48 an hour less than direct hires. 1
in 4 warehouse workers had to rely on government assistance to make ends meet for their
families. 37% of current warehouse workers had to work a second job to provide for their
families. These are not the high quality jobs communities want, these are not healthy work
environments, these are not family sustaining wages, and Little Village residents deserve so
much more.
Struggling to breathe is a cost community members cannot and will no longer afford.
Finally, Alderman Muñoz is not present, and there is no way we can ensure this measure
reflects the will of the community or that the 22nd Ward office has done their due diligence to
receive input on this measure. You should vote no on R2018-1394. Thank you for your time.
LVICMP Update:
The approved and fast tracking of the re-development of the Crawford Coal Power plant is one of the many examples why we are demanding the LV ICMP be slowed down. As many of you know, the LV ICMP process started in April of 2018, and although this process was planned to be done in six months, it has been extended, thanks to community pressure, to February of 2019. We have included a link to the City of Chicago’s website and the Proposed Framework for you to check out the notes and presentations from the working group and community meetings. While LVEJO has been one of a couple organizations and individuals participating in the Working Group meetings, there has been no representation from either Alderman Muñoz (22nd ward) or Alderman Cardenas (12th ward), Chair of the Committee on Health and Environmental Protection of the City of Chicago City Council.
As an environmental justice community, we are outraged that this process is not proposing the health and environmental protections needed and fought for in our communities. Instead this process is being used as cover to quickly pass through major boundary changes with no understanding or explantation to intended and unintended consequences of these proposals. Although four working group meetings and three community meetings were held, the five plus boundary proposals were only briefly mentioned in the third working group meeting during the last ten minutes and then as a major part of the fourth working group meeting. These ideas were never reviewed in public community meetings. As a community that fought for environmental justice in this process, we are outraged and are demanding the following:
- The proposed boundary change be stopped until a full market study is completed that
assess the impacts to housing, industry and equity. - More time be given for community outreach, in particular:
- the areas where boundary proposals are being made
- include the local youth perspective on employment and training opportunities
- Resources for open space or park space in the LVIC should go to local underresouced
parks: La Villita Park, Shedd, and Miami - The LVICMP include land for large scale greenhouses and indoor urban ag with a focus
on local small business and cooperatives - The Little Village Industrial Corridor Modernization Framework should require a review
process of the conditions of the local Health and Environment of Little Village and
surrounding communities, and should require renewable energy in local Industries - The Little Village Industrial Corridor should provide living wage and environmentally safe local jobs for all, regardless of immigration status
LVEJO is hosting three community meetings this week to help update community members and submit public comments, followed by the City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development community meetings the next week. DPD is planning on presenting the proposed framework on Thurs. Feb. 21st at 10 am to the Chicago Plan Commission.
Join us in demanding that the City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development, Alderman Muñoz and Alderman Cardenas stop the Hilco and LV ICMP process and not present to the Plan Commission Feb. 21st until the communities demands are meet.
22nd Ward Alderman Ricardo Munoz: T: (773) 762-1771
Email: rickmunoz22@gmail.com & ricardo.Munoz@cityofchicago.org
12th Ward Alderman George Cardenas: T: (773) 523-8250
Email: Ward12@cityofchicago.org & george.cardenas@comcast.net
Gerado Garcia, Coordinating Planner: T: (312) 742-7328
Email: gerardo.garcia@cityofchicago.org
David Reifman, Commissioner of Department of Planning and Development: T: (312) 744-9476
Email: David.Reifman@cityofchicago.org
Sincerely,
Kimberly Wasserman
Executive Director