CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s plan to tighten regulations on industrial pollution cleared a City Council Committee Tuesday, but environmental advocates say it’s been watered down far too much.
Mayor Lightfoot’s original proposal would have kept control over environmental plans in the hands of the Plan Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals, which the Mayor appoints.
The proposal approved by the City Council Zoning Committee shifts authority to city departments that answer to the council.
Colleen Smith, Deputy Director of the Illinois Environmental Council, said the regulations approved by the City Council Zoning Committee do not contain an adequate appeals process for the public and make too many concessions to developers, like exempting small warehouses from stringent regulations.
"They took something that's always one step forward and just continuously weakened it. And the thing that passed yesterday does not have a meaningful impact on communities, and certainly does not have community support," she said.
Smith said groups like hers actually supported an earlier version of the measure.
The Mayor’s proposal would require industrial developers to submit site plans, including a traffic study and air quality study in order to win approval.
A number of Aldermen did vote no in committee, but the ordinance is expected to pass before the full City Council.
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