Community Leader & former 10th Ward Aldermanic Candidate, Richard L. Martinez, Jr., applauds Gov. Quinn on the Veto of SB3388

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chicago, Illinois, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) March 15, 2011 -- "On behalf of the residents, families and children of the Southeast side and 10th Ward, we applaud Governor Pat Quinn for his courage to take the required moral action in vetoing SB 3388 and its proposed coal-to-gas plant which targeted the East Side neighborhood in the 10th Ward, Chicago". The 10th Ward community opposed the proposed Leucadia coal-to-gas plant based upon environmental & health concerns, the lack of community input, the proposed increase in gas heating prices being passed on to the consumer and the total cost of the project being subsidized by taxpayers.

For the last two months, the volunteers of the Rich Martinez/New 10th Ward Aldermanic Committee & subsequent committee, The New 10th Ward Community Service Organization has worked with other community organizations, residents and stakeholders such as: The Southeast Environmental Task Force, the Sierra Club, CUB (Citizens Utility Board), Pastor Zaki & the East Side United Methodist Church, Pastor Freddy Caraballo & Christian Fellowship Flock Church, Respitory Health Assoication of Chicago, SOAR (Retired Steelworkers of America) and many other community organizations and leaders such as Rosalyn Pedraza, in organizing two Environmental Town Hall meetings (1/27/11 & 3/3/2011and a rally at the Thompson Center State of Illinois Building last Wednesday March 9, 2011.

The House and Senate bills which proposed the Leucadia coal-to-gas plant in the 10th Ward were passed during a "lame-duck" session in December 2010 and were done so without community input or a public hearing. In addition, the current Alderman of the 10th Ward, John Pope supported the project.

The community organized the first Environmental Town Hall on January 27, 2011, the second one on March 3, 2011 and the rally with 200 residents at the Thompson Center State of Illinois Building on March 9, 2011. In addition to organizing these events they also coordinated a post card campaign where thousands of post cards were sent to Governor Quinn urging him to Veto SB 3388, a phone call in campaign calling the Governor's office and culminated last week in hundreds of addtiional post cards and letters & pictures written by several elementary school students in the area being delivered to the Governor's Chief Policy Advisor. Yesterday, Governor Quinn vetoed both SB 3388 & 1927.

Martinez stated that this is a tremendous victory for the 10th Ward community and its future & is a testament of the will, cooperation and "fight" in the 10th Ward community. Martinez restated his sentiment on this issue which he emphasized during his 10th Ward Aldermanic Campaign, "The 10th Ward is in need of economic development, investment and job creation. But, any development in a New 10th Ward must not only create jobs, but it must benefit the health, welfare and environment of the entire 10th Ward community".

Any development in the 10th Ward can and should be achieved through such vehicles as the "BlueGreen Alliance" and must include the input of community residents, organizations and other stakeholders at the table of any further discussion and consideration.

The New 10th Ward Community Service Organization is a community group that will focus on making positive investments in the 10th Ward community as well as holding all public officials accountable. For more information contact: 773-544-4682.

10th Ward     environment     Governor Pat Quinn     jr.     Leucadia     New 10th Ward Community Servic     Richard L. Martinez     Southeast side