Press releases:
ASE releases Environmental Justice Report:
- EJ Report Press Conference Video (Hazel Johnson Facebook page, 07-17-2024)
ASE-released documents about the proposed South Works Quantum campus:
- Video: Community-held Quantum meeting: Opening video (Updates & why this is important) (Dec. 5, 2024)
- Video: Community-held Quantum meeting: Report backs/ Call to Action (Dec. 5, 2024)
- Press conference on South Works Quantum Campus, 10/18/2024 (ASE Facebook page, 10-18-2024)
- ASE statement on South Works Quantum campus, 09-16-2024
- Letter calling for community benefits for the South Works Quantum Campus– Signed by 80 organizations &community members.Outlines community benefits prioritized by residents,09/18/2024
- ASE press release: South Works Chosen as Quantum Site. Southeast Residents Want More Dialogue with Community & Meeting with Governor and Mayor, 07/25/2024
- ASE press release: Southeast Side Neighbors Left out of Discussions about Future of Lakefront & Proposed Quantum Computing Campus: Demand Environmental Review and Community Engagement, 06/14/2024
- 1-page informational flier, released 07/25/2024
…
Older press releases:
- ASE Comments on RMG permit 01-14-2021 and ASE Supporting docs on RMG permit 01-14-2021 (includes maps showing racial disparities, environmental burdens, air pollution, and health impacts)
- Statement on South Works deal falling thru 05-2018
- South Works Developer Purchase Agreement signed 08-2017
- New Developer Named 02-01-17
Press coverage:
2025
Confined Disposal Facility (CDF)– proposed expansion of toxic landfill on north side of Calumet Park. ASE has organized against the expansion and filed a lawsuit with local resident leaders as standing witnesses:
- Army Corps Drops Plan to Expand Toxic Dump on Lake Michigan (WTTW, 03-11-2025)
- Plans for toxic dump site on Far Southeast Side scrapped (NBC Chicago, 03-12-2025)
- Plan To Expand Toxic Dump On South Lakefront Scrapped Thanks To Neighbors’ Fight (Block Club Chicago, 03-12-2025)
- Victory! Army Corps Scraps Toxic Dump Plan on South Side Lake Michigan Shoreline (Environmental Law & Policy Center, 03-12-2025)
- EPA opposes proposed toxic waste dump growth on Southeast Side (Chicago Tribune, 01-28-2025)
- Proposed Southeast Side Dump Expansion Would Violate State Law, Regulators Say (Block Club Chicago, 01-23-2025)
2024
South Works / Quantum development:
- Plans For South Side Quantum Campus Get City Council OK (Block Club Chicago, 12-11-2024)
- Some South Chicago Residents Are Raising Concerns About New Quantum Computing Development. (WTTW, 12-04-2024) Features Amalia NietoGomez, ASE executive director, & Coalition leaders Anne Holcomb from ETHOS
- Planning agency approves development, but residents say quantum park lacks specifics (The Black Chronical, 11-26-2024). Features Vanessa Schwartz, Metropolitan Family Services Southeast Chicago Center, ASE partner, ASE Board member
- South Side Quantum Computing Campus Advances To City Council (Block Club Chicago, 11-22-2024)
- Community activists aren’t sold on quantum park’s promises just yet. (Crains Chicago Business, 10-29-2024) Features Amalia NietoGomez, ASE executive director
- Chicago Citizens Group Urges Officials to Slow Down Quantum Computing Development. (Quantum Insider, 10-19-2024)
- South Siders Urge Slowdown On Quantum Computing Campus. (Chicago Sun-Times, 10-18-2024) Features Amalia NietoGomez, ASE executive director, & Coalition leaders Anne Holcomb from ETHOS, Clifton Muhammad- business owner, & Oscar Sanchez from Southeast Environmental Task Force (SETF)
- Southeast Side residents call on officials to slow down massive quantum campus project (WBEZ, 10-18-2024) Features Amalia NietoGomez, ASE executive director, & Coalition leaders Anne Holcomb from ETHOS, & Clifton Muhammad- business owner
- Southeast Siders Discuss Planned Quantum Computing Campus at Old Steel Mill Site (WBEZ, 08/29/2024). Features Clifton Muhammad, business owner, Coalition member, & ASE board member
- South Side residents and community leaders want more details on quantum campus at old South Works site (08/29/2024). Features Amalia NietoGomez, ASE executive director
- Former South Works Site Could Become Quantum Computing Campus By 2027 (Block Club Chicago, 07/25/2024). Features Coalition leader Peggy Salazar, &Coalition for a South Works CBA
- Massive South Works quantum project now must get residents on board (Crain’s, 07/25/2024) Alliance of the SouthEast mentioned
- Quantum computing facility to be built at Chicago US Steel site, (ABC News, 07/25/2024). Features Coalition leader, Anne Holcomb, from ETHOS
Environmental Justice-related campaigns:
Confined Disposal Facility (CDF)– proposed expansion of toxic landfill on north side of Calumet Park. ASE has organized against the expansion and filed a lawsuit with local resident leaders as standing witnesses:
- 10th Ward residents, environmental groups ask judge to halt lakefront dump. (ABC 7, 08/28/2024)
- Attorney General Joins Fight Against Lakefront Dump Expansion (Block Club Chicago, 07-18-2024)
- Attorney General Raoul Opposes Expansion of Toxic Waste Disposal Facility in Overburdened Environmental Justice Community on Chicago’s Southeast Side (Office of the Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, 07-12-2024)
- Chicago residents want to stop construction of toxic dump tower along lakefront on SE Side.(ABC 7, 06/11/2024) Features ASE, resident leader Linda Gonzalez, & partner Environmental Law &Policy Center
#StopGeneralIron campaign:
- Chicago wins appeal to block scrap shredder permit on Southeast Side (Chicago Tribune, 08-16-2024)
…
2020 Block the Permits Block Party
Event was coordinated by residents and many local groups, with support from many allies. ASE and the Coalition are part of the Stop General Iron Coalition. Marie Collins-Wright spoke on behalf of the Coalition.
Local groups included: SE Side Coalition to Ban Petcoke, United Neighbors of the 10th Ward, George Washington High School Student Voice Council, SE Side Educators Against General Iron, Bridges/Puentes, SE Youth Alliance, and ASE and the Coalition for a South Works CBA.
- Block Club Chicago: East Side Activists Bring Fight Against General Iron To Mayor Lightfoot’s Block: ‘We Need To Breathe Just Like Everybody Else’ (11-15-2020)
- Chicago Sun-Times: Protesters call on Lightfoot to deny permit for Southeast Side metal shredder: ‘You can’t beautify what’s killing us’ (11-14-2020)
- WGN: Southeast Side residents urge mayor to block proposed move of Lincoln Park recycling plant 11-14-2020 (11-14-2020)
- ABC: Chicago residents demand Lightfoot deny General Iron’s relocation permit to Southeast Side (11-15-2020)
2020
- Chicago Tribune Editorial Board. On Chicago’s Southeast Side, the peril of living in a toxic donut (08-25-2020)
- Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board. “Seize the chance to bring new lakefront park to Chicago’s Southeast Side (08-14-2020)
- Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board. “Lightfoot should nix General Iron’s Southeast Side relocation plans (06-30-2020)
- WTTW. Ald. Garza Asking Illinois EPA, in Writing, to Put Brakes on General Iron Permit Process (06-10-2020)
- WTTW. Southeast Side Coalition Unveils ‘Good Neighbor’ Blueprint for Developers (05-26-2020)
- ASE Facebook Page: Virtual Town Hall on Developments on Chicago’s Southeast Side
- Chicago Sun-Times: Feds to Lightfoot: Don’t issue General Iron a city permit (11-17-2020)
- WTTW. “Virtual Hearing Set for General Iron Permit, Activists Mobilizing Opposition (05-12-2020)
- South Shore Drive. “How Climate Change May Be Affecting a Toxic Landfill and Our Drinking Water (04-26-2020)
- Belt Magazine. After the Flood: How Chicago is coping with the effects of climate change (04-21-2020)
- Neighborhood Scribe. Development, Environment, Immigration key issues for Southeast Side residents in March Primary (03-12-2020)
- Hyde Park Herald. Netsch Lecure Panelists Decry Rising Lake Levels, Southeast Side Pollution (02/26/2020)
- Chicago Reporter: Chicago on the hook for Lake Michigan dump costs 02-13-2020
- Chicago Reporter: South Chicago lakeshore dump raises environmental justice and climate crisis concerns (02-07-2020)
2019
- Chicago Sun-Times: How to link Metra and the CTA for the greater good of the South Side and south suburbs 12-19-2019
- Chicago Sun-Times: Integrating the CTA and Metra is smart move 11-13-19
- Chicago Sun-Times: Here’s how to quickly boost use of public transit on the South Side and in the south suburbs 11-08-2019
**ASE & Coalition for a South Works CBA are members of the Coalition for a Modern Metra Electric - Chicago Lawyer’s Committee on Civil Rights: Making Good: Delivering On The Promise Of Equity 10-2019
- The U.S. News: How the new head of the Chicago Housing Authority can forge a new direction for the agency 09-27- 2019
- The Chicago Reporter: How the new head of the Chicago Housing Authority can forge a new direction for the agency 09-26-2019
- WTTW: General Iron Deal Spurs Debate About Land Use, Air Quality. 09-16-2019
- Metropolitan Tenants Organization:Tenants March on HUD HQ, Win Meeting with Top HUD Official 05-10-2019
- South Side Weekly: The Housing Issue 2019 04-17-2019
- Cook County Chronicle: Community groups push for agreement for Southeast Chicago industrial complex 03-06-2019
- Austin Weekly News: Leaders do post-mortem on Hatchery’s outreach efforts 02-13-2019
2019 #ReimagineChicago Mayoral Candidates Forum w/ Grassroots Collaborative
ASE & Coalition for a South Works CBA were co-sponsors.
Coalition leader asked candidates about supporting CBAs & ensuring living wage jobs, leading to careers.
- Chicago Reader: A Tale of Two Mayoral Forums 01-28-2019
- City Bureau: Public Newsroom #93: Community Benefits Agreements in Garfield Park 01-24-2019
- Austin Weekly News: A different kind of pledge of allegiance 01-21-2019
- WBEZ: Chicago Neighborhoods Define the Issues 01-18-2019
**references 30% affordable housing, CBAs and TIFs question - Third Coast Review: Five Mayoral Hopefuls Commit to Ambitious Progressive Agenda at Forum 01-17-2019
- Chicago Sun-Times: Hosted by progressives, 5 mayoral candidates talk schools, economy at forum 01-16-2019
- Chicago Tribune: Free City Colleges tuition, free CTA rides and more backed by five Chicago mayoral candidates at packed West Side forum 01-16-2019
2018
- YouTube video by Chicago Lawyers Committee on Civil Rights: #BringJusticeHome: Amalia NietoGomez and the Alliance of the SouthEast featuring Marie Collins-Wright, Jeffery Manor Community Council & Coalition member
- WTTW/Chicago Tonight: ‘We Don’t Want Your Trash’: Residents Protest General Iron’s Move to Southeast Side 07/30/2018)
- WBBM-AM Newsradio: Alderman Vows To Block Landfill 06/27/2018
- WBEZ Morning Shift: WBEZ’s Chicago and Illinois News Roundup: May 25, 2018 05/25/2018
- Chicago Tribune: Editorial: At South Works, dreams dashed once again 05/24/2018
2017
- S Shore Current: Why South Works Needs a CBA 12-2017
- Chicago Mag: The US Steel Site’s Enormous Potential 12-18-17
- ABC7: 20K homes planned for vacant US Steel land on South Side 08-01-17
- Chic Trib Editorial: Make this South Works project more than another bold vision 08-07-2017
- DNA Info- 20K Homes Planned For Huge Vacant US Steel Site 08-01-17
- DNA Info: 12K Homes Harbor Eyed For South Works Site 01-30-17
- Woods Fund Blog: How is that development benefiting MY community 05-03-2016
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