The Confined Disposal Facility
What is the story behind the Confined Disposal Facility?
In early 2019 the Chicago District of the Army Corps of Engineers (“Corps”) published a Draft Dredge Management Plan and Environmental Impact Study (“DDMP/EIS”) proposing to vertically expand a toxic dredge disposal facility, known as a “confined disposal facility” (“CDF”), on the shore of Lake Michigan at the Calumet River. The existing CDF already concentrates over a million tons of contaminated dredge in a 1984 “in-water” structure that was scheduled to close in 2022, but under this new proposal the Corps would build a 25-foot mountain on top of that structure composed of another million tons of toxic waste. This surprising proposal had been rejected as an option by the Corps for many years. Yet, it appears the Corps is set to finalize this proposal — despite opposition by the Alderman, local residents and organizations, parks advocates, and environmental groups and despite the Lightfoot Administration’s focus on neighborhood equity and protecting Chicago’s drinking water quality.
Why is it a problem?
The CDF sits literally in Lake Michigan – the City’s water supply. Unlike a properly permitted, lined and monitored modern landfill, the CDF was designed to allow the waters of the Lake to flow in and out of it. The CDF effectively concentrates a million tons of toxic dredge in a sieve at one location directly upstream from Calumet Beach and adjacent to historic Calumet Park and the new Steelworkers Park in the City’s 10th Ward – an environmental justice community already over-burdened with landfills and polluting industrial operations. For more click here to read the CDF OpEd written by FOTP board member Pat Sharkey
What can we do about it?
We are reaching out to officials at the city, state and federal level letting them know we are against the dangerous CDF. Below are letters and email addresses you can utilize to let your voice be heard.
In early 2019 the Chicago District of the Army Corps of Engineers (“Corps”) published a Draft Dredge Management Plan and Environmental Impact Study (“DDMP/EIS”) proposing to vertically expand a toxic dredge disposal facility, known as a “confined disposal facility” (“CDF”), on the shore of Lake Michigan at the Calumet River. The existing CDF already concentrates over a million tons of contaminated dredge in a 1984 “in-water” structure that was scheduled to close in 2022, but under this new proposal the Corps would build a 25-foot mountain on top of that structure composed of another million tons of toxic waste. This surprising proposal had been rejected as an option by the Corps for many years. Yet, it appears the Corps is set to finalize this proposal — despite opposition by the Alderman, local residents and organizations, parks advocates, and environmental groups and despite the Lightfoot Administration’s focus on neighborhood equity and protecting Chicago’s drinking water quality.
Why is it a problem?
The CDF sits literally in Lake Michigan – the City’s water supply. Unlike a properly permitted, lined and monitored modern landfill, the CDF was designed to allow the waters of the Lake to flow in and out of it. The CDF effectively concentrates a million tons of toxic dredge in a sieve at one location directly upstream from Calumet Beach and adjacent to historic Calumet Park and the new Steelworkers Park in the City’s 10th Ward – an environmental justice community already over-burdened with landfills and polluting industrial operations. For more click here to read the CDF OpEd written by FOTP board member Pat Sharkey
What can we do about it?
We are reaching out to officials at the city, state and federal level letting them know we are against the dangerous CDF. Below are letters and email addresses you can utilize to let your voice be heard.
Public Comments Submitted in August 2019 to the U.S. Army Corps
Below are public comments submitted from community organizations and stakeholders in response to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (“ACOE”) April 2019 Draft Dredged Material Management Plan and Integrated Environmental Impact Statement (“DMMP/EIS”) for the Chicago Area Waterway System in the Calumet region.
Alliance for the SouthEast (ASE)
Southeast Environmental Task Force
Friends of the Parks
Openlands
Sierra Club of Illinois
Alderwoman Susan Garza
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Alliance for the SouthEast (ASE)
Southeast Environmental Task Force
Friends of the Parks
Openlands
Sierra Club of Illinois
Alderwoman Susan Garza
United States Environmental Protection Agency
