This is a collection of key documents obtained from FOIA requests, public records, and diligent investigation. We tried to group them by type of document when appropriate, and by source in other cases. Most are PDFs. This page is not yet complete; check back for additional documents.
Applications
20171026 Complete application for construction permit (includes site plans)
20180702 MAT Asphalt – IEPA Notification of Operations Letter
20180710 MAT Asphalt – Fugitive Dust Plan
20180829 MAT Asphalt Fugitive Dust Plan revision
20181211 MAT Asphalt Stack Test (only tested for opacity and PM levels)
20190205 MAT Asphalt-FESOP Operating Permit app
20190213 IEPA review of incompleteness
20190225 IEPA Notice of Incompleteness
20190327 IEPA EJ notification for MAT Asphalt
20190531 MAT Asphalt ltr to IEPA-FESOP app revision
MAT Asphalt Facility Operations and Permit Overview
The Illinois EPA’s review of your application indicates that the Hot Mix Asphalt Plant’s Potential to Emit (PTE) for PM exceeds the major source threshold of 250 tons/year for the Federal Regulations for Prevention of Significant Deterioration of Air Quality (PSD), 40 CFR 52. 21.
IEPA Notice of Incompleteness, 2019 Feb 25
City of Chicago
Contracts
20170810 MAT Leasing contract extension
20180627 Arterial Street Resurfacing – North Area 79
20180627 Arterial Street Resurfacing – South Area 81
Rezoning of PD 934
(See this post for more context)
20170125 Zoning Application – O2017-160
20170227 Summary of Zoning Mtg – Rezoning of PD934
20170329 Journal of City Council O2017-160
20170427 Daley and Georges Letter to Zoning Dept
Other City Documents
20170209 – Dept. of Planning & Development Email re: Tadin and Cardenas
20180601 12th Ward MAT FAQ (Source) Some of this FAQ was plagiarized from industry web sites.
20180808 CDPH Letter to Senator Munoz Re: Air Control Permit
20180828 CDPH Dave Graham email suggesting complaints are not valid
20181016 Email from Michael Tadin to Dave Graham about air monitors
City Municipal Code (11-4-690 and 11-4-670)
Lori Lightfoot Environmental Position Paper (calls out process failure)
Office of the Inspector General: CDPH Air Pollution Enforcement Audit
Complaints
20180914 IEPA complaint from Horizon School
20180914 IEPA complaint from Namaste
20190829 CDPH email from NLEI
20191030 311 complaints, 2018/2019 through Oct 30
2018 IEPA complaints about MAT Asphalt
2019 IEPA complaints about MAT Asphalt
CDPH Complaints at 2055 W Pershing (City Data Portal)
Live search, returns JSON; CSV export as of 20200124
The fumes emitting from the asphalt plant have been extraordinarily strong today. It was difficult for me to walk from my car to inside our building without being physically affected by those fumes. I also learned later that my maintenance team had no choice, but to turn off the air conditioning system, because the fumes from the outside were so strong that they were affecting students and those inside the building.
Complaint from National Latino Education Institute, 2019 Aug 29
Inspections
CDPH Inspections: PDF through 2018; CSV through 2019; live link (JSON)
20180808 IEPA Inspection Report
20180813 IEPA Tier 1 Inspection Report
20190415 IEPA Inspection Report
20190524 IEPA Investigator Dismissing Complaints
20191028 US EPA Inspection
EPA inspectors detected odors at times during the inspection and also smelled asphalt-like odors while driving along West Pershing Avenue….A baghouse temperature alarm was in effect at one point during the inspection.
US EPA Inspection, 2019 Oct 28
Letters From Elected Officials
20180514 State Sen. Munoz to CDPH, requesting revocation of city permits
20180730 Ald. Cardenas to 12th Ward residents
20180806 Rep. Gutierrez to US EPA
20190805 State Rep. Mah to IEPA
20191011 Rep. Garcia to US EPA, IEPA, CDPH
I am writing to urge the Chicago Department of Public Health to immediately revoke any and all environmental permits issued to MAT Asphalt LLC for a hot mix asphalt plant at the captioned property and to reject any additional applications for operations….There could not be a worse location for a hot mix asphalt plant than across the street from McKinley Park.
State Sen. Munoz to the Chicago Dept. of Public Health, 2018 May 14
Permits
Draft FESOP Permit
20190807 Email to CDPH; implies draft permit is ready but not released
20191213 ILEPA Draft Permit 5607
20191213 ILEPA Fact Sheet 5609
20191213 ILEPA FESOP Draft Summary 5608
20191213 ILEPA Notice of Public Comment 5610
20200123 ILEPA Hearing Cancellation Notice 5745
Other Permits
20170918 Metropolitan Water District Permit 17-CH-09
20171026 ILEPA – MAT Asphalt Construction Permit
20171103 City of Chicago – Air Pollution Control Permit
20180525 Electric Wiring Permit
US EPA
20180522 USEPA Email – Possible improper EJ Review
20191028 USEPA Email – Advise IEPA of pending inspection
Asphalt Production Emissions Profiles (PDF, Source)
Environmental Justice Screen – MAT Asphalt, half mile radius
ILEPA Emails
2017/2018 Excerpts from emails regarding initial MAT setup and approval
2017 July
2017 September
2017 October
2018 March