RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Industrial roots established in the late 1800s served as the catalyst for the growth and merger of what became South Chicago's West Pullman community area in the 1920's; and
WHEREAS, The West Pullman community prospered from strong locally-based industry for generations, until facing the significant closure of the industry in the early 1980's; and
WHEREAS, After the closure of industry, the West Pullman community discovered the legacy and burden of environmental contamination left by the previous generations that had not known the impacts of chemicals and processes on the land; and
WHEREAS, Acres of land in the heart of the West Pullman community sat idle for nearly two decades due to environmental contamination; and
WHEREAS, In 1966, a dedicated council of community residents, former property owner Navistar, Inc., the State of Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the City of Chicago began working closely together to accomplish the remediation of a major tract of land; and
WHEREAS, All parties worked with single focus, mutual respect and rigorous standards toward the accomplishment of the common goal; and
WHWERAS, The remediation goal was accomplished with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency issuance of a No Further Remediation letter for the Former West Pullman Works site on October 14, 2010;and
WHEREAS, Today, the West Pullman community hosts Chicago City Solar, the nation's largest urban solar energy facility, which generates 10 megawatts, ample power to supply 1,500 homes; and
WHEREAS, A significant portion of the Chicago City Solar site is the remediate industrial property; and
WHEREAS, The combined efforts of community, corporation, city and state have offered a new beginning for the West Pullman community; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved, That we, the Mayor and members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, gathered here this 6th day of July 2011 A.D., do hereby commend the members of West Pullman's Victory Heights/Map...
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