Little Village activists say air is polluted, want ban on large trucks on 26th Street
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A new push for cleaner air has been launched in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood.
Community activists are working on a lawsuit to ban large trucks from the area. As CBS 2's Marybel González reported, the activists called on residents for help Thursday.
In Little Village, residents say the outdoors offers anything but fresh air.
"People can't even go outside and sit in their yards," said Little Village resident Lupe Castillo.
They claim semi-trailer trucks that pass through the neighborhood are leaving behind a trail of pollutants – which is affecting their health.
"The fumes that they emit – it's not good for us," Castillo said. "We have children in the neighborhood that have asthma. I have asthma. My husband has asthma."
Now, there is a call to put an end to the traffic. The activists are asking for signs on 26th Street warning of a ban on trucks with a gross weight of over 5 tons. Such signs are found in other parts of the city.
"How come that's available there, but not here," said Blanco Gutierrez.
The activists say the city has not done enough to protect the lungs of Little Village residents.
"We're like one of the most polluted neighborhoods in the city of Chicago," said Baltazar Enriquez, president of the Little Village Community Council.
The activists say they are prepared to take their fight to court.
"We're looking into filing a class-action lawsuit - and also get information from the residents, and medical records, to build our case," Enriquez said.
"If the community can see that we're gathering our concerns and we're doing something about it, that will motivate others," said Blanco.
The activists will be holding more meetings on the subject in the next few weeks. They want to reach out to more residents who believe they might have been affected by the pollution – and hope they too can join the legal action.