Prairie State Wire

Gov. J.B. Pritzker has withdrawn support for Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's proposed site to accommodate 2,000 asylum-seeking migrants in a winterized tent encampment. The decision came after the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) reviewed an environmental study commissioned by City Hall. 

The study was conducted on formerly industrial land designated for the tent encampment at 38th and California in the Brighton Park neighborhood. The IEPA concluded that insufficient soil sampling and remediation at the location "does not meet State cleanup standards for residential use."

"Given the significant time required to conduct additional sampling, to process and analyze results, and to implement corresponding further remediation, the State will work with the City to identify alternate shelter options," state officials said according to a press release.

State officials have requested that City Hall come up with alternative locations. Additionally, Pritzker's administration is moving forward with plans for a 200-bed shelter building in Little Village and is reportedly working with the Archdiocese of Chicago to "explore options for brick-and-mortar shelter sites."

“IEPA would not approve the proposed Brighton Park site for residential use, based on our regulatory standards for remediation of contaminated properties,” EPA Director John J. Kim said, according to NBC Chicago. “The well-being of residents and workers at the site is our highest priority, and current and planned site conditions do not adequately reduce risks of human exposure to known and potential environmental conditions.”

The city's comprehensive 800-page environmental report revealed high levels of lead, arsenic, and mercury contamination at the Brighton Park site according to analysis of groundwater, soil, and soil gas samples collected there.

According to a statement released by the state, IEPA found that:

●The limited nature and insufficient number of soil borings conducted at the site do not provide a comprehensive assessment of environmental conditions across the site.

●Additional soil sampling is needed to further determine if there is additional contamination at the site and to fully investigate potential sources of contamination that were identified from historical site use.

●Remediation implemented thus far does not satisfy IEPA standards and is insufficient.

Alderman Ray Lopez, a vocal opponent of Johnson's administration and the proposed migrant tent city in Brighton Park, applauded the state's decision.

"Congratulations to my brave neighbors in Brighton Park for refusing to accept the notion that brownfields are good for brown people," Lopez said in a post on X. "Will @ChicagosMayor address the fact his team exposed thousands of residents to cancerous dust during this failed remediation process when open-container trucks drove off the site?"

The governor's decision to block the proposed migrant camp in Brighton Park has yet to elicit a public comment from Mayor Johnson's administration.

The Sun-Times reported earlier this week that the Brighton Park tent city controversy is indicative of ongoing tensions between Pritzker and Johnson. The report suggested that "There is real frustration behind the scenes on both sides, stemming from the migrant crisis, Chicago’s crime wave, a tug of war over the leadership of the Democratic National Convention."