Durbin, Duckworth, Kelly Question EPA On Declared Monitoring & Testing Of Air Emissions
Lawmakers raise concerns on how this has impacted efforts to reduce manganese air pollution on the Southeast Side of Chicago
CHICAGO – U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth, and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) today raised concerns at the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) failure to consistently require companies to monitor and test their air emissions for manganese air pollution—a known neurotoxin—on the Southeast Side of Chicago. The members pressed EPA to use its full authority under the Clean Air Act to protect human health and the environment.
Today’s letter to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt follows an article in the New York Times, which highlighted that in the first five months of 2017, investigators sent 14 requests requiring monitoring or testing using the EPA’s Clean Air Act authority, similar to same period in 2016. However, in the five months after, only one request was sent.
“EPA must fulfill its mission to protect the public from harmful pollution. Therefore, we urge EPA to equitably enforce the law by requiring other facilities that may be contributing to higher levels of manganese pollution to install filter-based monitors,” the members wrote.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, high levels of manganese dust exposure can cause serious neurological effects, learning difficulties, and memory loss. Recent studies have shown a link between manganese exposure and lower child IQ scores. Researchers at University of Illinois at Chicago’s School of Public Health found that children in Southeast Chicago have higher levels of manganese in their toenails than children in other part of the City.
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
May 11, 2018
We write to request that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) use its full authority under the Clean Air Act to enforce strong public health standards. We are concerned that the EPA has failed to consistently require companies to monitor and test their air emissions for manganese air pollution—a known neurotoxin—on the Southeast side of Chicago.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, high levels of manganese dust exposure can cause serious neurological effects, learning difficulties, and memory loss. Namely, recent studies demonstrate a link between manganese exposure and lower child IQ scores. That is why we are deeply concerned that research conducted by the University of Illinois at Chicago’s School of Public Health found that children in Southeast Chicago have higher levels of manganese in their toenails than children in other parts of the City.
Our constituents are particularly concerned about the lack of filter-based monitors for manganese emitters on the Southeast side of Chicago. Even though the City of Chicago has approved updated zoning rules prohibiting new facilities from storing or handling manganese, only the EPA has the authority to require companies to install filter-based monitors that measure the surrounding communities’ exposure to toxic metals.
An article in the New York Times highlighted that in the first five months of 2017 investigators sent 14 requests requiring monitoring or testing using the EPA’s Clean Air Act authority, similar to the same time period in 2016. However, in the five months after, only one request was sent. This lack of consistent enforcement is bad for human health and the environment, and is unfair to businesses in the area.
EPA must fulfill its mission to protect the public from harmful pollution. Therefore, we urge the EPA to equitably enforce the law by requiring other facilities that may be contributing to higher levels of manganese pollution to install filter-based monitors.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to your timely response.