chicagooilscandal

Our First Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE .
Chicago ( Suganash Park ) residents on Kedvale avenue seek immediate justice after living in an absolute environmental catastrophe! Where do we begin? Hopefully this will be the last and final time that I as a mother (parent) and a productive citizen will have to reach out for someone to really see what has torn us all apart.
Five and a half years ago, my husband and I while pregnant with our five year old son,received a knock n our door. Our son was two months old,and we had just completed renovations on our first home. I wont even go into the fact that we had just lost parents as well. A gentleman from Bell Fuels (an oil company that was (is) located adjacent to the alleyway from the residential families,asked that we sign for permission for Bell Fuels and their subcontractor Bascor International to conduct tests on our properties.
The residents (I) as well as some others immediately called a real estate attorney to look at the access agreement.Bell Fuel's subcontractor had taken soil borings and groundwater samples. The residents agreed to let Bell Fuel's contractor Bascor Environmental to conduct and collect the samples.
Bell Fuels in turn sent us and the others letters and i can quote "One chemical compound benzo(a)pyrene was detected in the soil samples at a concentration greater than IEPA's standard for residential land use. So again I ask why are we still stuck living under despicable conditions after five and a half years. In my opinion (as well as the other families) whom happen to have elderly living with them as well as children (young ones)have to continue with tests that are not conducted properly,only God knows if they were conducted in an integral manner,as well as the fact that we haven't had hardly any correspondence from either the IEPA and Bascor.
It has been an absolute fiasco! I have been pushing governmental officials,the attorney generals office,tried to get the IE PA whom are supposed to be protecting the families but seem to be more interested in remediation (cleaning up) the oil companies property.What about the mess they left for us? This so called remediation has been going on for years now.
We still cant sell our home,we cant leave we cant rent to others. We have been held hostages for over five years now. This has been the worst experience for all of our families who adore our community but now we have been "contaminated" our lives have been contaminated.
We all have been dealing with our elderly deteriorating,my little boy has frequent nose bleeds,we have a constant acrid smell of diesel all the time now.Not to mention,nausea sinus issues,mysterious rashes on our skin,sleep disorders constant headaches,etc.
We have counsel helping but with all of the bureaucracy involved and the oil company just re admitting liability,and finally rectifying their mistake we should have never been put through the constant worry,stress,anxiety .
This could have all been avoided if they would have just taken care of the resident's from the start. I hope and pray that this will never happen again to anyone! When I first learned of this i phoned the IEPA's toxicology department and spoke with them about our concerns for our then two month old baby.
I was told that it wasn't an immediate threat that my son would have to consume large quantities of dirt. Then the kicker is They said don't let your boy play in he dirt and to not allow him to play in the garden! I ask you what would you think! God forbid after this many years of exposure to these toxic chemical compounds the potential harm is astronomical.
Doesn't anyone care about the people,the elderly,the children? It seems to be that the oil company and and any other officials,should be held accountable for making our lives a living nightmare! we need better laws to protect our citizens so this will never happen to another family.
I have to close is saying that we have been so emotionally and physically exhausted because now we have had financial difficulties as well. we cant even use our own home for r pleasure and the stigma that we've had to live with.
How can you put a price tag on any human life?
We are pleading for help because we know that there still our decent people who understand how important their children are. You could never put a price tag on those whom you love deeply.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Jennifer Lubeck-Carter

Our second Release

An Environmental Nightmare, Chicago Residents Seek Justice

Chicago, Ill. -- The residents of the community Sauganash at 6033 N. Kedvale Avenue and 6037 N. Kedvale Avenue have requested that Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan seek action against the owner of Bell Fuels, Inc., located in Chicago, Illinois, resulting from the improper removal, handling, disposal and cleanup of spills that cause cancer and other illnesses.

The IEPA and Bell Fuels, Inc. have been dragging their feet for almost 5 years and now plan to hold more meetings, it’s time for this administration and corporation to give the residents of the contaminated properties the green light to get on with their lives instead of burying them with their “sweep it under the carpet” tactics . The residents of the community, Sauganash, have filed suit against Bell Fuels, Inc. and will hold the IEPA responsible for the unreasonably delayed and unlawfully withheld final action on the lawsuit.

Bell Fuels, Inc. is guilty of negligent acts and omissions and as a direct and proximate result, a dangerous and toxic chemical known as “benzo(a)pyrene” leaked from its petroleum and petroleum products storage tanks or lines and seeped onto premises of the residents involved in the lawsuit resulting in the residents sustaining damage to their properties; resulting in their sustaining injuries to themselves requiring them to expend money for medical care and treatment; and resulting in them experiencing both physical and psychological pain and suffering.

Representatives from IEPA and Bascor Environmental, Inc. hired by Bell Fuels, Inc. have been on site to ensure the cleanup proceeds according to state regulations which yet they haven’t met. An immediate injunction is requested because the residents believe the spills present a substantial danger to the environment and to their health and especially their children’s health. The spills have been exacerbated by recent heavy rains through out the years. We hope that cooperative enforcement efforts between the IEPA and Bell Fuels, Inc. will demonstrate the importance for companies to implement environmentally responsible practices.