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FACTS ABOUT EAST SIDE ISSUES
THAT MAY IMPACT YOUR HEALTH
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Community Action Against Asthma (CAAA) is a partnership involved in identifying and addressing environmental factors associated with childhood asthma. One of CAAA's goals is to inform members of the community about activity going on that may have an impact on the respiratory health of the community. Residents have an opportunity to have a voice in planning decisions that will shape our neighborhoods and affect our children and our quality of life for decades to come. The decision-makers need to know what we think. If you have questions or want to get involved, please call Ron Stewart (313) 571-2800, ext. 1158 or Maria Salinas at (313) 297-7752, or our toll free number: 1-877-640-4064.
The following summaries are current as of September 4. Changes may occur after this date.
The Detroit Municipal Waste Incinerator has been operating at the intersection of Russell and Ferry Streets since 1986. It is the largest municipal incinerator in the United States and it currently burns approximately 2,000 tons of garbage every day. Many environmental groups, including the Michigan Environmental Justice Council, the Sierra Club, and Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice, are working to close the incinerator. They advocate a shift to recycling, composting, and limited landfilling. Over 100 community organizations, including twenty-six in the 48211 zip code that also includes the incinerator, support these efforts.
People in favor of the incinerator say that it is an efficient way to get rid of waste and produce electricity. Importing plastics from Ohio and Illinois and food waste from Windsor provides revenue for the city. Opposition organizations maintain that the incinerator is an expensive way to handle trash, and up to $25 million a year could be saved with the implementation of cleaner alternatives, such as a comprehensive recycling program. There is also disagreement about the environmental impact of incinerators. State and federal laws regulate the pollution released by the incinerator. Though the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) reports that the facility complies with all standards, local groups are concerned that emissions are not regulated properly. The EPA Region 5 has received over 200 complaints about this incinerator in the last year. Brad Van Guilder of the Ecology Center reports that the incinerator is nearly out of compliance for NOX, a major contributor to ozone. Plus, the incinerator is located near several other large polluting enterprises and two major highways. The combination of all of these enterprises really impacts the community.
The incinerator is currently completing a required permit renewal process. There is disagreement about how useful the renewal standards are and most groups expect the permit to be renewed. Even with a renewed permit, the environmental groups vow to continue their fight. To get involved in the effort to close down the incinerator and push for alternatives, contact Brad Van Guilder at The Ecology Center (117 N. Division, Ann Arbor, 48104, (734) 663-2400). To file a complaint or make a comment about the incinerator, contact Laura David (Region 5 EPA, Air and Radiation Division, Permits and Grants Section, 77 West Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604. A short, handwritten letter to her expressing your concerns is recommended).
I-94 Expansion has been discussed for at least a decade. Phase I would widen I-94 from I-696 in Macomb County to Wyoming Avenue. Upon completion, I-94 would have a total of 9 lanes with shoulders and continuous three-lane service drives on both sides. Currently, growing traffic volumes on this stretch of I-94 lead to congestion and traffic slow downs, which are expected to worsen due to increased trade between the United States and Canada. This expansion is planned to address these problems. The expansion would also eliminate and/or relocate businesses and homes near the highway. The Michigan Department of Transportation's (MDOT) environmental impact statement for the project states that 40% of the people to be dislocated have an income under the federal poverty level. The project could also have important and long-standing impacts on air quality in Detroit. The expansion, while possibly beneficial to suburb-dwellers and freight haulers, could be a huge disadvantage to local community members.
Recently, Governor Granholm stated that she would not support the expansion of I-94 because of a lack of funding. The project is now on hold for at least four years. For further information on the project, contact Jose Lopez, Public Hearings officer for I-94, MDOT, lopezjos@mdot.state.mi.us. For information on possible opposition efforts, contact Donele Wilkins at Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice. (dwdwej@msn.com or 313-821-1064).
The Time Transfer Station (TTS) is an approved project that may start construction this year. The goal of the TTS is to improve bus efficiency by bringing riders from various locations on the eastside to a central location and then on to their final destinations. It is coordinated with the Work-First project and addresses the role of reliable transportation in getting people off of public assistance and back to work. This TTS, and others planned throughout the city, will replace the less convenient Cadillac TTS in downtown Detroit. It will be located in Chandler Park on Chandler Park Drive, reaching to Conner Avenue. The design has been approved by the City Planning Commission and the City Council and has been developed by the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT). During Phase I, the actual TTS will be built. Phase II includes construction of a community center and childcare facility.
One potential concern is the possible impact of diesel exhaust from the busses on children at the child care facility.. While City Council has approved the funding, there is currently no scheduled build date because of community concerns.
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Why should I be concerned about health impacts of these projects? Waste incinerators and diesel engines (like buses and trucks) are large sources of fine particulate matter. Fine particulate matter 2.5 (PM 2.5), is made of particles so small that several thousand of them could fit in the period at the end of this sentence. These particles pass through the nose and throat and become lodged in the lungs, aggravating respiratory conditions. Several studies in other large cities have found negative health effects at PM 2.5 levels at and below those currently measured in Detroit. Scientific studies have found that exposure to PM 2.5 can cause illness and can aggravate breathing problems like asthma and emphysema. The Environmental Protection Agency reports that people with existing heart or lung disease, asthma, or other respiratory problems, children, and elderly people are at the greatest risk. Scientists have also determined that diesel exhaust is likely to cause cancer in humans. Particulate matter also contributes to haze, which restricts visibility and contributes to the formation of ozone, acid rain, and global climate change. Ground-level ozone irritates lungs and can cause shortness of breath, chest pain, wheezing and coughing. According to the American Lung Association, long-term exposure to high levels of ozone can lead to reduced lung function, inflammation of the lung lining, and increased respiratory problems. |
The Conner-Creek Greenway Project has been discussed since 1997. The proposal is to create a Greenway, or a landscaped road that incorporates bicycles and pedestrians, from 8 Mile Road to the Detroit River along Conner Creek. Conner Creek currently runs in an underground pipe, but this plan would reclaim the surface creek along certain stretches. Though the greenway is not a park, users of it would notice an inner-city park feel, with native varieties of plants and trees planted throughout.
The Detroit East Community Collaborative (DECC) is leading this effort, supported by the Warren Conner Development Coalition and the Jefferson East Business Association. The project will be expensive, and some people may feel feel it is an unnecessary expenditure that could be used for other improvement projects. Though DECC obtained funding to conduct a feasibility study, there are no funds to complete the project. With grassroots fundraising events are planned, project construction could stretch out over as much as eight years. Libby Pachota is the Chair of the Conner-Creek Greenway Project and can be reached at 313-331-7939. Maps and drawings from the feasibility study can be found at www.greenwaycollab.com/CCGMP.htm.
Created by Community Action Against Asthma (CAAA), a part of MCECH (the Michigan Center for the Environment and Children’s Health. Funded by: the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (P01-ES09589 and RO1-ES10688) and the Environmental Protection Agency (PO1-ES09589). Contact Kathy Edgren, Project Manager of CAAA, for further information: 1-877-640-4064 or kedgren@umich.edu.
Centers Funded By: 