Despite promises by Mayor Brandon Johnson that a full environmental assessment report would be released “by the end of the week,” the city had not provided a copy by Friday afternoon.
Instead, the mayor’s spokesman asked the newsroom Friday afternoon to file a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain a copy of the report, which was issued to NBC Chicago later Friday evening.
The 794-page report can be viewed here.
A statement from city addressed where the environmental assessment stands:
"The City of Chicago’s Department of Assets, Information, and Services (AIS) contracted Terracon Consultants, Inc. to conduct an environmental investigation at the 3710 South California Avenue site. Terracon conducted a field investigation under a sampling plan that was developed for this specific site. The investigation included soil sampling, groundwater sampling, and soil gas sampling which yielded soil analytical results, groundwater analytical results, and soil gas analytical results.
The sample results were compared to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s remediation standards for residential use. According to the report, soil with mercury levels was identified at one location and was removed and properly disposed offsite at a landfill. Likewise, soil with a high level of a semivolatile compound was identified at another location, and will be removed and disposed of offsite. Finally, to address remaining contamination in surface soil typical of urban areas, AIS directed the placement of crushed clean stone with a minimum thickness of 6” as an engineered barrier across the site. The engineered barrier will be periodically inspected to ensure that the minimum thickness is maintained.
With the limited soil removal and placement and maintenance of the barrier, the site is safe for temporary residential use."
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The environmental assessment report is expected to reveal what – if any – potential contaminants were discovered at the Brighton Park site near 38th and California where the city is building a base camp to hold up to 2,000 migrants temporarily.
Construction efforts there accelerated this week – less than three months after the city inked a $29 million contract with the company GardaWorld to erect the temporary structures. The move by the city to place migrants into a base camp is designed to move them away from sleeping on the floors of airports and outside Chicago police stations as winter approaches and temperatures outside drop.
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As of Friday, massive tent-like structures had been erected on the site. Generators and other heavy equipment – including semis hauling lumber – could be seen in the once-vacant lot. Earlier this week, NBC 5 Investigates watched as truck after truck hauled loads of gravel onto the site where pavers moved back and forth over the newly-laid surface.
NBC 5 Investigates attempted several times on Friday to provide an update on the site – he did not respond to our series of questions.
During a news conference earlier this week, Mayor Brandon Johnson rejected criticism that his administration has not been transparent about how it has handled migrants matters – saying: ““This notion that there's been a lack of information or transparency, I call false on that. I have told the truth… and I will always tell the truth."
When NBC 5 Investigates asked Johnson Tuesday to confirm what specific contaminants had been located at the site, Johnson said “the assessment is ongoing" and "the full report will be provided by the end of the week.”
“I hear your question, you've asked why are we still moving forward - because that's the process we've been administrating from the very beginning," Johnson said when pressed further about the city’s approach to move forward without the environmental assessment.
Records by NBC 5 Investigates show the site was once used as a zinc smelter and was part of a railyard.
Over the weekend, Ald. Julia Ramirez, whose ward includes the site, posted a letter to social media noting that there’s been “bad communication” and a "lack of transparency from the city" regarding the site - adding that her office was made aware of "toxic metals in the soil” and the remediation “had been done.”
Johnson did not respond to questions Friday about that.
This story is developing.
