(WBBM NEWSRADIO) – The Johnson Administration on Tuesday tried to saddle state government with the failure of a planned migrant “base camp” in Brighton Park after environmental concerns sank the controversial idea.
The mayor’s office issued a news release that said the state hired a contractor to begin building the winterized tent facility at 38th and California as the city moved ahead with an environmental analysis.
A report from Terracon Consultants last week said some toxic materials, including mercury, had been removed from the campsite, followed by remediation.
“Despite being made aware of the above assessment and remediation process, the State provided no additional guidance on its preferred methodology or assessment criteria, nor raised any concerns about its own decision to move forward with construction prior to the release of Terracon’s report,” Mayor Johnson’s office said in the statement.
On Monday, the administration of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said progress on the campsite would be halted for additional analysis. Tuesday, state environmental officials pulled the plug on the Brighton Park property, which has a history of industrial use.
“The city has been sort of caught flat-footed,” Better Government Association President and CEO David Greising tells WBBM Newsradio. “They’re looking at a site at 115th and Halsted, an old Jewel-Osco site, and they’re also looking to the Archdiocese of Chicago for some options.
“The state is working with the Archdiocese. They seem to have lost confidence in the city’s ability to find these sites.”
In remarks Tuesday, Johnson said his office remained committed to setting up more shelters to keep bused migrants out of police stations and airports.
The state’s abandonment of the Brighton Park site brought cheers from residents who had opposed its selection. On Tuesday, these opponents literally rejoiced.
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