Community groups criticize Mayor Johnson for failing to act on environmental reforms
Chicago: Mayor Brandon Johnson is under fire for not following through on his environmental promises. Three community groups are calling him out for failing to make changes after a federal investigation found that the city was unfairly placing polluters in low-income neighborhoods.
These groups say Johnson hasn’t made any progress on key reforms that were part of a deal with federal officials. They sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) highlighting at least a dozen areas where he’s fallen short.
The complaint that triggered the investigation was filed back in 2020. It was about the city moving a scrap metal operation from a wealthy area to a Latino-majority community. Even though the city didn’t allow the operation to open, the groups argue that this showed a pattern of discrimination.
In 2022, HUD found that the city had violated residents’ civil rights, leading to an agreement that required Chicago to change its policies to keep receiving federal funding. But now, the groups say there’s been no action from Johnson’s administration.
One major promise he hasn’t kept is to introduce a new ordinance to stop placing polluters in the same low-income areas. Other issues include updating industrial corridors and starting air quality monitoring in heavily polluted neighborhoods.
Community advocates are frustrated and want HUD to step in. Johnson had promised to tackle these issues right after taking office, stating that no neighborhood should bear the brunt of pollution more than others.
The groups behind the complaint, including the Southeast Environmental Task Force, are losing patience. They emphasize that their health is at risk due to the pollution surrounding them and that they need immediate action to protect their communities.
