No More Coal!

A three-billion dollar coal gasification plant that will turn coal and pet coke into syn-gas is planned for Southeast Chicago under the guise of Clean Energy.  The project will take 3 years to build and will be located on the site of an old steel mill.  It will provide 1000 temporary jobs and 100 - 150 permanent ones.  Sound good so far?  Well, here's what they don't tell you:

• Pet coke, a by-product of the petroleum industry is dusty,  contains harmful toxins and needs a market.
• In addition to the pet coke, 3 million tons of coal will need to be mined annually for this plant and the mining of coal is harmful to the environment
• The transportation of the coal and pet coke will add more emissions to the air.  The gasification process will add more soot and smog.  The burning of the gas produced will  add even more.
• Local utilities are being forced to purchase a percentage of this gas (SB 3388) at a higher rate because it costs more to manufacture gas; that increase in cost will be passed on to the local consumer - you.   
• The process will pull 10 million gallons of our drinking water from the river every day of which only portion will be returned.
• Locally, the plant will mean an increase in  traffic on already congested streets, more dust in the air from the handling and storage of the coal and pet coke and a decrease in  an already compromised air quality

 We depended on our local politicians to bring economic promise to our community through remediation and redevelopment of our many brownfields, and we expected intelligent, sustainable solutions.  Instead it is apparent the Southeast side is a dumping ground for nothing more than detrimental industry like asphalt storage, scrap yards, food scrap processing and more coal plants.

Water cannons trying to keep dust down on coal piles.

House siding covered in coal dust.

Coal dust floating on child's toy water table.

Lime dusting the neighborhood streets as it leaks from the back of a truck.

Pet coke and coal dust tracked onto neighborhood streets from storage yard.

Neighborhood cars coated with lime dust from processing facility.

Mounds and mounds of scrap metal ready for crushing and shipping.

Back to Nature

Last Friday, things were looking "pretty" at the Task Force office.  Nine eager women showed up for our "Naturally You" pampering workshop.  It was the perfect project for a cold, wintry evening.  The purpose of the workshop was to demonstrate healthy ways in which to pamper oneself with beauty treatments that didn't contain manufactured chemicals or cost much. 

We gathered everyday items found on most kitchen shelves and made beauty concoctions that not only worked, but in some cases were good enough to eat.  With each recipe made, we explained the why and how of each ingredient.  Things like natural yogurt, sugar, golden honey, and lemon rind were turned into gooey  substances to slather on.  The women cheerfully measured and mixed their way to beauty.  At the end, all commented on how much fun they had and how much they had learned.  They left our office content with their baby food jars full of  sugar scrub and bath salts to continue their beautification process at home.



Relaxing facial message.





Looking pleased as punch.



Using a little elbow grease to mix up the bath salts.



Sugar scrub or ice tea mix?

Sticky fun!



Website updates

Please note that we are undergoing some changes at the SETF website (www.setaskforce.org) and the website may be up and down, under construction and a bit finicky for a bit.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

The website updates will not affect this blog, and we will use the blog to keep you updated with any important information.

Thanks for your patience.

SETF 2010 Fall Fundraiser

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Outdoor Firing Range Slated for Environmentally Sensitive Area

Nestled between landfills and the Little Calumet River (just south of 134th street and east of the Bishop Ford) river are 130 plus acres of fenced off MWRD property.  And on this property exist two ponds preserved by the historic Calumet Open Space Reserve Plan: the O’Brien Lock and Dam Marsh and the Whitford Ponds. Both are known for their value as habitat for white egrets and blue herons, as well as other migratory bird species not commonly found in our backyards. But a recent proposal by the Chicago Police Department to develop a firing range on 33 acres adjacent to these ponds may drive the birds away, thus reducing an already-limited pool of nesting options for the Calumet area's marsh and wetland birds.

Never mind that the Calumet Land Use Plan, a momentous undertaking of the Department of Planning and Development partnered with the Department of the Environment, had recommended that the property be reclaimed as open space, or that the area is adjacent to TIF redevelopment areas, the Chicago Police Department is determined to locate a project on the Southeast side that other communities would not embrace.

On a recent tour of the property, members of SETF, CEPA, IDNR, DOE, Chicago Audubon Society and and other community organizations were given a presentation of the project by Sgt. Raymond Hamilton of the Chicago Police Department. While Sgt. Hamilton briefed us on the details, butterflies flittered through the wet prairie plants, egrets flew overhead criss-crossing the river and a spotted hawk glided effortlessly above us.

Ironically, the same attributes that make it a plausible site for the firing range make for an even better nature reserve.  And after visitng the site and  discovering the bird rookeries along the Whitford Pond area, learning that there hasn’t been a serious natural resource survey of the area in more than 15 years, and observing the wildlife thriving there,  SETF is convinced that the Police Department should consider an alternative site - like one of the many brown fields or vacant industrial properties that exisit in the city - instead of impacting an area where nature and wildlife have taken refuge.  While there are many location options for a gun range, the herons and egrets would have few choices for relocating, as isolated wetland areas with tall trees that are suitable for rookeries are far less common than brownfields.

EGRETS AND HERONS

View of O'Brien Pond from 134th Street

CURIOUS MOTHER DEER AND FAWN WITH CID LANDFILL IN BACKGROUND

VIEW OF MWRD PROPERTY

BIRDS OF A FEATHER...

WHITE EGRET AT O'BRIEN POND

ASSEMBLING FOR TOUR OF THE MWRD PROPERTY

Paper to Plants - A Messy Workshop

Though it was hotter than we would have liked, the sun was a welcome sight after having had our paper making workshop rained out the first time.  Knowing how messy the process was, we decided to set up our work tables and equipment on the sidewalk in front of the office.  And it's a good thing we got an early start because just as expected, things did go wrong.  First it was the power strip that didn't work necessitating our having to unplug one of our staff.  Then it was a blender that quit on us before we even got started, leaving us with just one that worked.   Luckily, our group was small enough that it didn't matter.

Tearing paper into tiny pieces.

Blending paper into a slurry.

We began by passing out mini-folders that we had made from recycled manila folders,  They contained simple instructions, a sample of the finished project and a template to use as a cutting guide.  After presenting an overview of the project,  we led two at a time outside while the others stayed in to chat and enjoy the refreshments. Outside we stepped them through the process of making seed-embedded paper.  We had each participant tear 5 sheets of used text paper into tiny pieces, add the prescribed amount of water, blend the two into a slurry and then pulse in a scant amount of flower seeds.  The slurry was than poured onto screens, spread evenly around and then laid between pieces of felt to have the water extracted with a rolling pin.  Knowing the paper takes hours to dry, we had to cut box cardboard into rectangles and cover them with aluminum foil. 

Rolling out the excess water.

Measuring carefully.

 Everyone was thrilled with the finished product and carried their wet sheet of paper home on our makeshift trays to dry. Before they left, they inquired about having a second part to the workshop to learn how to turn their paper into gift tags.  We're working on scheduling a date.

 A new sheet of paper!

A big "Thank You" goes out to Pat Rosen of the Gibson Nature Preserve and Wild Ones, chapter 38 for donating the Midwestern Wildflower seeds.

End of an era

Undoubtedly, this news has reached many Calumet environmentalists through other venues, but in case you are a curious visitor to our blog, Marian Byrnes, founder of the Task Force, passed away on Thursday, May 20th at the age of 84.  A brief obituary that captures the key elements of Marian's life was posted by Tribune reporter Duaa Eldeib.  There is one factual error in the article: she was preceded in death by three of her sons David, Kevin, and Brian and has three surviving grandchildren.  Her fourth son, Alan, is quoted in the article.  Marian will be deeply missed, and in my mind the best way to honor her life is to carry on her vision of a healthy and vibrant South Side Chicago.

A memorial mass has been scheduled for Tuesday, July 13th from 6-8 PM at Our Lady Gate of Heaven, 2338 East 99th Street, Chicago, IL 60617.  You may check back here for updated information and a reminder as we approach the service.

Those who are interested in making a donation in memory of Marian may choose from one of the following:

Southeast Environmental Task Force
In memroy of Marian Byrnes
13300 S. Baltimore Ave.
Chicago, IL 60633-1425

Circle Pines Center
In memory of Marian Byrnes
8650 Mullen Road
Delton, MI 49046

The Human Society of the United States
In memory of Marian Byrnes
Department MEMIT9
2100 L St. NW
Washington, DC 20037