CONTINUING STORY OF PETROLEUM COKE (PET COKE) Southeast Environmental Task Force (SETF) is setting out to work on this issue. We thank Anthony Martinez, for posting the picture in the thread below and for bringing this issue up in a public forum. A couple of points for all to know: DTE has sold their operations on the Calumet River to the notorious Koch Brothers: KCBX Terminals....the same coal company that has received, stored, and distributed coal from their 100th St. location on the river for many years. They are now a huge stockpiler of petroleum coke -"pet coke," for short- along the river, and purchaser of the DTE Terminals (mentioned above) at roughly 108th & Burley Ave. If you live or work on the east side you can see the 4-5 story-high piles that are lining the river now from near 100th St. all the way to 112th St.....and maybe beyond! Another bulk storage company that is bringing this stuff in 24/7 is Beemsterboer on the north side of 106th St., on the west side of the river. Next point: Alderman Pope IS aware. Last week, the alderman accompanied SETF and a number of officials that represent the southeast side on a tour of these huge, ominous piles of toxic materials that are springing up before our eyes, coming in from the giant BP refinery in Whiting. Ald. Pope and SETF hosted a discussion following the tour at his office: State Rep. Marcus Evans and staffers from Congressman Robin Kelly, State Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, and State Sen. Kwame Raoule. We also had help in arranging this meeting from from the Illinois Environmental Council, and had people at the table with us from the Respiratory Health Assn., South Chicago Chamber of Commerce, and the Natural Resources Defense Council. This is a very serious problem, and it will only get worse as BP is exceedingly increasing their production of tar sands oil, with the results being the residual bi-product: pet coke. Southeast Environmental Task Force asks all citizens to provide pictures like this one, to join in our effort to stop or contain situations like that which is pictured above. Please visit our Facebook page, where next week we begin a series of articles and information about this problem. Be ready to attend a public meeting that we are planning- inviting our public officials- who we hope and expect to help deal with this matter. Meanwhile, please make observations & take photos, video, and notes about this. You can contact SETF at 773-646-0436, and join with us to work on getting legislation to regulate this toxic stuff.
Posted on: Mon, 02 Sep 2013 15:12:55 +0000
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