A recent confidential watchdog report found that Chicago officials could and should have prevented a botched smokestack implosion in Little Village, rekindling conversations about the role of industry in neighborhoods and where accountability lies when violations occur.
The city’s “negligence and incompetence” allowed a demolition dust storm to blanket Little Village in 2020, according to a scathing watchdog report that also berated City Hall for its response to the debacle.
Environmental community groups issued a list of demands Monday as they continue to seek answers about the demolition of a smokestack at the former Crawford Coal Plant.
Environmental activists are urging the city to pay for public air monitoring systems and air filtration for residents who live near the site of a dust storm caused by the demolition of a smokestack.