Organization Sign-On Form
Background on the Ameren toxic site at 5th and Hill
The 3.5 acre lot at 5th Street and Hill Street in Champaign is the site of a former manufactured gas plant (FMGP) that operated from 1887 until 1953. Gas was manufactured by heating coal and reacting it with steam. The gas was then processed to remove coal tar and other chemical compounds before it was piped to homes and businesses. The coal tar and other production wastes were left on the site until the closing of the plant. The lightweight chemical compounds found in coal tar, known as BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene), move easily through soils and are associated with various health problems, including cancers. Coal tar also contains chemicals known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are likewise known to be carcinogenic. Ameren IP has registered this site, and 24 other sites like it, with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency under their Site Remediation Program (SRP). Under this program, Ameren agrees to clean up this site, including the contamination that has spread into the residential neighborhood. Residents of the 5th and Hill neighborhood are concerned about long-term health effects associated with exposure to the toxins found at the site, and many have experienced serious health problems.
About the 5th & Hill Neighborhood Rights Campaign
The 5th & Hill Neighborhood Rights Campaign is dedicated to protecting the health of the neighborhood residents and the rights of the community in relation to the toxic site owned by Ameren, located at 5th and Hill Streets in Champaign. The Campaign is made up of 5th and Hill neighborhood residents, former residents, community members, and organizations who care environmental justice and rights, and the health and safety of all community members.
The goals of the 5th & Hill Neighborhood Rights Campaign are:
• To learn the extent and type of toxicity resulting from the Ameren former Manufactured Gas Plant (FMGP), including the contamination in residential areas;
• To assess the health effects on residents and former residents of any exposure to toxins associated with the Ameren site;
• To ensure the rights and protect the health of any resident or former resident affected by exposure to toxins associated with the Ameren site;
• To assess and have appropriate input into the Site Remediation Plan for the 5th and Hill neighborhood, including remediation for residences and neighborhood areas;
• To ensure neighborhood and community input into future development plans for the site and neighborhood at 5th and Hill.
Your organization’s support is important! Please sign-on to the Campaign.
Your organization’s support is important. Please sign-on to support the 5th & Hill Neighborhood Rights Campaign. As an organizational member of the campaign, your organization’s name will be listed on Campaign materials, and you will receive updates on the progress of the Campaign. You are also encouraged to designate a representative to attend Campaign meetings and events, and to serve as a contact person for your organization.
Yes! Please add our organization to the list of groups that support the 5th & Hill Neighborhood Rights Campaign
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Please return to: Champaign County Health Care Consumers (CCHCC), 44 E. Main St., Suite 208, Champaign, IL 61820, Attn: 5th & Hill Campaign.
For more information, call Claudia at (217) 352-6533.