To: Governor J.B. Pritzker
Governor Quinn: Help Victims of Environmental Racism in Carbondale, IL
We, the undersigned, request that Governor Quinn pressure the CDC to conduct a longitudinal health study on the ill-effects of the contamination caused by the Kopper's Wood Treatment Plant on the residents of Carbondale, IL who have lived, worked, and are living in the area around the now closed plant.
Why is this important?
The residents in the vicinity of the former Koppers Wood Treatment Plant have been adversely affected by the contamination of creosote. The plant shut down in 1991 when a concern became public that the Creosote in the wood treatment caused health and environmental issues. Those living and working in the area have a high incidence of cancer. Their health concerns have not been adequately addressed. This is predominantly a poor African American community that does not have the resources to seek an independent evaluation.