EJ Advocates See HUD’s Civil Rights Deal With Chicago As National Model

A first-of-its-kind civil rights settlement between the City of Chicago and the Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) requires the city to comprehensively overhaul its zoning and land-use policies to reduce industrial exposures in “sacrifice zones,” a deal that environmental justice (EJ) advocates say should serve as a national model for future EPA rights work. Keith Harley, director of the Greater Chicago Legal Clinic, said in a statement that until now, industrial siting and permitting decisions have been made...