(WBBM NEWSRADIO) —The Lightfoot Administration on Friday said it will halt the permit process for a proposed car-shredding facility that has drawn the attention of federal officials.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced she has directed the Chicago Department of Public Health to begin an environmental study of Reserve Management Group’s plans to relocate and expand its iron-scrapping at a new site, on the city’s Southeast Side.
Its location in Lincoln Park, known as General Iron, closed last year.
Lightfoot said she was acting in response to a request from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. EPA Administrator Michael Regan reportedly told Lightfoot that allowing another polluting business to operate in the area would be a problem because because of existing environmental risks.
In a written statement, the mayor said the city would delay a final decision on RMG’s permit application.
“The City shares the U.S. EPA’s commitment to environmental justice and public health, and we look forward to partnering with them to conduct a fair, thorough and timely health impact analysis to inform our future decision-making on the RMG permit application,” Lightfoot said.