Something is wrong in Indiana. With its misguided environmental policies, Indiana is leaving most people behind. A recent report from the Northeast-Midwest Institute found that Indiana ranks last in the Midwest when it comes to protecting vulnerable communities. Cities like Gary, East Chicago and Hammond have and will continue to struggle. Due to historically high pollution levels from heavy industry, people in the region suffer from diseases including cancer and respiratory diseases from the toxic air they breathe every day. Citizens are beholden to a state agency that sets outdated rules but also regulates pollution, and an industry that has long been indifferent to the needs of the people it affects.
Black and brown communities like Gary and East Chicago continue to be viewed as dumping grounds and “sacrifice zones” by polluting industries. Not surprisingly, Gary and East Chicago have been designated Environmental Justice Communities by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Environmental justice focuses on the fair treatment and meaningful participation of all people, regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, in the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
Certainly, there are solutions to the problems facing Indiana that can begin to address the harm caused by excessive industrial pollution. Changes are needed at the legislative level to ensure people are protected, according to a 2020 report from the Indiana Public Policy Institute. Some important recommendations include requiring cities to consider the cumulative impact of development plans on environmental health, ensuring everyone has a voice in decision-making, and planning truck routes to avoid passing through neighborhoods.
Changes may also occur at the local level. The city government can decide not to bring more pollution to the EJ community and instead move towards responsible development. They can support policies that correct negative impacts and advance sustainable, collaborative, regenerative policies that uphold the rights of all people, regardless of race, gender, or economic status.
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Well-trained construction workers can rebuild cities like Gary. Clinics for specific needs could be established and hundreds of new jobs created in doing so. New schools, robust housing development, small business incubators, urban farms, recreation and leisure facilities can displace polluting industries like trucking and waste to fuel biorefineries.
Citizens can object to potentially polluting industries such as Fulcrum BioEnergy, which is proposing a biorefinery on the shores of Lake Garry to turn waste into jet fuel. According to the EPA’s EJ screen, the project will affect 35,000 people who already breathe supersaturated air from steel mills and trucking operations.
Citizen group Gary Advocates for Responsible Development (GARD) recently filed a petition with the Office of Environmental Adjudication (OEA) challenging Fulcrum’s air permit on the grounds that its application was based on insufficient calculations. Fulcrum couldn’t back up their process with facts and simply asked Gary’s people to “trust us”.
GARD believes that until Fulcrum provides more complete information, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) should revoke the company’s license.
Public opposition to such projects is very important. People have historically been excluded from the decisions of big industry. But the public has both the right and the duty to be an active voice on any economic development decision that affects the health and well-being of residents.
We are at a crossroads. Indiana’s political leadership is racing to become the most business-friendly state in the country. Making decisions that benefit the people will define the future of Indiana. The people cannot continue to set Indiana on the wrong path. The time has come for education and action.
Carolyn McCrady is a Miller resident and member of Gary Advocates for Responsible Development.
