City Regs Not Strict Enough

Reading a document that refers you back to this section and that section is never easy.  Some things that were clearly questionable about the proposed regulations were:

• the allowance for smaller operations to openly store dust generating materials out in the open
• the two year grace period for the construction of an enclosure
• the set backs given without explanation as to how they were determined or why they are sufficient
• variances to the regulations granted at the discretion of the Commissioner of Health
• penalties not clearly stated or defined

We are still in the process of evaluating the regulations and have enlisted the help of other environmental organization.  But how can we trust the city to protect us when they present us with weak regulations.  The residents of  Southeast side have made it pretty clear that they want the nasty piles removed.

If you would like to sign our petition to have the piles removed, you can do so here:
 http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/stop-the-petcoke-contaminate

Go here for instructions on  how to comment and for a link to the regulations:
http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/cdph/provdrs/environmental_permitsregulation/alerts/2013/dec/notice-of-proposed-regulations---for-the-handling-and-storage-of.html