>>> ACTIVISTS ARE VOWING TO KEEP FIGHTING A METAL SCRAPPER FROM OPERATING.

PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE DETERMINED THE OPERATION POST AND UNACCEPTABLE RISK TO THE HEALTH OF NEARBY RESIDENTS.

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE HAS NOW RULED THAT THE MANAGEMENT GROUP KNOWN AS RMG DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PERMIT HE NEEDS TO OPERATE SOUTHSIDE RECYCLING.

METAL SHREDDING AND RECYCLING OPERATION ON THE SOUTHEAST.

MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON SAYS THAT IT IS A WE WORKING ON AN APPEAL.

JOINING US WITH MARSHALL JOHNSON , EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND RECOVERY.

I WANT TO WELCOME BOTH FOR JOINING US.

SOUTHSIDE RECYCLING AND ITS PARENT COMPANY.

WE WILL GET TO IT IN A BIT, BUT FIRST, I WANT TO GET YOU GUYS, FIRST.

OSCAR, I WANT TO START WITH YOU.

THIS ISSUE WITH THE SOUTHSIDE RECYCLING AND POLLUTION IS PERSONAL.

CAN YOU TELL US WHY?

>> FOR ME, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE, BECAUSE MY OWN FAMILY HAS BEEN AFFECTED TO WORK TO BREATHE AND BE ABLE TO SLEEP AT NIGHT.

MY GRANDPARENTS HAD RESPIRATORY ISSUES AND MY GRAND THAT'S MY GRANDPARENTS HAD HOLES IN THE LUNGS.

THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHEAST SIDE AND LITTLE VILLAGE.

THIS IS A STORY THAT -- WE ARE NOT STATISTICS, BUT LIVING AND BREATHING MEMBERS.

>> DEFINITELY.

YOU ARE LIVING IT.

CHERYL, WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION TO FINDING OUT ABOUT THE NEW ROOM?

>> REACTION IS THAT DOING THIS WORK FOR 40 YEARS AND WE ARE STILL AT GROUND ZERO IN CHICAGO.

THERE IS PROGRESS ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY, BUT IN CHICAGO, YOU CAN CUT IT WITH A KNIFE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM.

WE AS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CRUSADES, AS I CALL THEM, FIGHTING FOR A CHANCE.

IT IS NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL, LIKE IT USED TO BE IN CHICAGO.

WE ARE STANDING UP AND DEMANDING OUR RIGHTS TO EQUAL PROTECTION AND DISMANTLE ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM.

>> THANK YOU.

AS I MENTIONED, MAYOR JOHNSON SAYS THE PLANS TO APPEAL THIS RULING AND THEY SENT A STATEMENT THAT RMG SENT A STATEMENT FITTING THE FOLLOWING.

THE FACTS ARE SOUTHSIDE RECYCLING FOLLOWS THE STRICT RULES ADOPTED IN 2020 WITH THIS PROJECT IN MIND AFTER A PUBLIC PROCESS AND OUR ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS PERFECTLY MATCH A 2021 U.S. EPA ENFORCEMENT ALERT THAT DETAILS BEST PRACTICES IN THE METAL SHREDDING INDUSTRY.

WHAT HEALTH CONCERNS LET LIFE TO DENY RMG A PERMIT?

>> I THINK IT GOES INTO LOOKING AT WHAT ORGANIZERS ARE LOOKING AT.

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE PICTURE OF INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES HAPPENING IN OUR AREA.

FOR US, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IT ACCOMPANYING THE FOLLOW REGULATION, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

OUR FIGHT AGAINST PET COKE, THERE WAS A STANDARDS, BUT WE ARE LIVING AND EXPERIENCING THESE HEALTH EFFECTS.

FOR US, IT'S ABOUT HOW THE COMMUNITY IS IMPACTED AND HOW WE HOPE IT CONTINUES TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE PICTURE OF DEMOGRAPHICS, RACE, AGE, POVERTY AND ALL OF THESE FACTORS WHEN IT COMES TO PERMITTING PROCESSES.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, THE JUDGE DID NOT LOOK AT THE PUBLIC HEALTH PLANS NECESSARY.

>> CHERYL, CAN YOU WEIGH IN ON THAT?

WHAT ARE YOU SEEING IN YOUR COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF POLLUTION FROM THESE INDUSTRIES?

>> ACTUALLY, IT IS UNBEARABLE.

IT HAS IMPROVED OVER THE YEARS.

IF WE THINK ABOUT IT AND LOOK AT WHAT THE FOREST FIRES ARE DOING IN CANADA OUT OF THE IMPACT ON OUR QUALITY AIR, ALL BUT TWO 350 INDUSTRIES THAT WE HAVE IN SOUTHEAST CHICAGO THAT ARE DOING SOME KIND OF.

IT IS UNBEARABLE TO SAY THAT THEY FOLLOW THE RULES AND GUIDELINES, BECAUSE THOSE RULES CAN BE BROKEN, ADDRESSED AND ADJUSTED BEFORE THE REPORTING REQUIRES IT.

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE LEGACY OF THE CITY AND STATE WHEN IT COMES TO PERMITTING PROCESSES.

THEY NEVER DENIED A PERMIT.

THEY HAD EXPLOSIVES, NUMEROUS VIOLATIONS AND EVEN BEFORE GENERAL IRON RELOCATED TO THE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF CHICAGO, THEY HAD AN EXPLOSION.

THEY HAD NUMEROUS VIOLATIONS.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PERMITTING PROCESS FROM HISTORICALLY, THEY DIDN'T DENY THE OPPORTUNITY, BUT THEY JUST DIDN'T CARE ABOUT THE NEGATIVE IMPACT IT HAS ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF RESIDENTS NEXT TO US.

IT HAS TO DO A LOT WITH POLITICAL PREROGATIVE.

WHAT ABOUT COMMUNITY PREROGATIVE WHEN IT COMES TO I WANT TO DRINK SAFE WATER?

I WANT TO LIVE IN A LAND THAT'S NOT CONTAMINATED.

UNFORTUNATELY, IT HAS TO START WITH GENERAL.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO LET ON ANY OTHER FUTURE DIRTY INDUSTRY TO COME BACK AND NOT BE ABLE TO CONTINUE.

>> SPEAKING OF POLITICS --.

>> LET ME SAY THIS.

SOMETIMES IT IS WORSE THAN THESE YOUNG PEOPLE SHOOTING GUNS, BECAUSE THESE INDUSTRIES ARE KILLING KIDS THAT ARE NOT EVEN BORN YET.

THAT IS DAMAGING.

WE NEED TO CHANGE THIS.

>> MAYOR JOHNSON SAYS HE PLANS TO APPEAL THE RULING, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER.

THE NEWS ASKED HIM ON WEDNESDAY WHETHER HE WOULD BACK AN ORDINANCE ALLOWING THE CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE IMPACT OF POLLUTING ON PARTICULAR CHICAGO COMMUNITIES.

HERE IS WHAT HE HAD TO SAY.

>> WE WILL BE EXPLORING THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO US IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MEETING THE EXPECTATIONS AND DEMAND OF CHICAGO AND RESIDENTS HAVE PUT FORTH.

AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, I AM RAISING MY FAMILY IN AUSTIN AND WE ARE ONE OF THE HOTSPOTS WHEN IT COMES TO ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE, SO WE WILL EXPLORE OPTIONS AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT.

>> WE ARE SHORT ON TIME.

ARE YOU HOPEFUL OR CONFIDENT THAT MAYOR JOHNSON WILL STAND SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH ACTIVISTS?

>> BRANDON JOHNSON STOOD WITH US AT THE FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE.

WITH THAT, I HOPE THEY CONTINUE TO HAVE THE LEGACY AND SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY BY HAVING THESE ACTIONS.

FOR ME, WE WANT TO SAY WE HAVE HOPE, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO SEE