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IEPA reverses course, schedules public meetings on VW settlement money

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Illinois

* Tribune yesterday afternoon at 4:32…

With more money come more problems. Illinois is scheduled to get $108 million as part of the Volkswagen diesel scandal settlement, but critics of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, who are preparing to disburse the funds, say Illinoisans are not getting enough input on how to apply the funds.

“They purported for over a year on their website that they were going to have public meetings, public hearings to decide the best way to spend this money,” said John Walton, chair of Chicago Area Clean Cities, a group of government and corporate organizations that works toward reducing pollution. “There have been zero public meetings. There have been zero public hearings.”

Alec Messina, director of the IEPA, said the IEPA met with many agencies and advocacy groups over the feedback period from Feb. 28 to April 20, that the IEPA never turned down a meeting request, and that the public was also welcome to submit comments by mail.

“I would not agree that there have not been public sessions for people to weigh in. We’ve hosted a number of targeted meetings with people since this information has become available,” said Messina, who added that what the IEPA does with the feedback or whether it will be made public has yet to be determined.

* 33 minutes later…

Amid mounting pressure from critics, Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration is reversing course and agreeing to hold three public meetings on how $109 million in settlement cash from the Volkswagen air-emissions scandal should be spent.

The decision follows complaints by environmentalists, health groups, advocates for alternative fuels and some state lawmakers who said Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director Alec Messina was cutting backroom deals with big-business representatives on how to spend the windfall. The outrage followed reporting by the Better Government Association.

The meetings will be held May 23 in Springfield, May 24 in East St. Louis and May 30 in Chicago. Each meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and will include public comment, according to the state agency.

Messina had previously balked at holding open meetings, arguing they weren’t necessary and wouldn’t draw enough attendees.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, May 11, 18 @ 9:49 am

Comments

–We’ve hosted a number of targeted meetings with people since this information has become available,” said Messina, –

“Targeted” meetings, I like that word. “Targeted” meetings to decide how to chop up $108 million. What was the criteria for an invitation to that party?

TII. Better hope some U.S. attorney doesn’t target you.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, May 11, 18 @ 9:54 am
Maybe they could re-open the shuttered vehicle emissions testing center on Webster/Elston?

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, May 11, 18 @ 9:56 am
Quite a bit of hyperbole from the environmental sector that has been meeting with the EPA for months and extracting numerous changes in the plan. The legislative hearing included a list of dozens of meetings that the EPA has had with all kind of entities (IEC, Sierra Club, ELPC, NAACP, Respiratory Health Association, American Lung Association, Metropolitan Mayors Environmental Committee, City of Chicago, etc) who all provided input.

Many “opponents” of the EPA plan are trying to simply delay hoping for a change in administrations.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, May 11, 18 @ 9:59 am
Proving the governor’s agenda still has a quick Turnaround.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Friday, May 11, 18 @ 9:59 am
The problem is that IEPA announced last summer that it would host public informational meetings around the state before drafting its spending plan, but didn’t follow through. Instead private meetings were held with several business and environmental interest groups who knocked hard enough on the agency’s door. Meanwhile, other state environmental agencies, including ones in nearby Ohio, Missouri and Minnesota, were hosting public meetings to not only provide information about the VW settlement, but to also solicit feedback on how the money should be spent. In some cases, this outreach was conducted before their draft plans were released to the public for comment. It’s good to see that IEPA is starting to move towards a more open and inclusive public involvement process.

Comment by Going nuclear Friday, May 11, 18 @ 11:42 am
Here’s the Illinois EPA’s website about the settlement. If these public meetings were just announced, it has to be some sort of record for updating the site. (I use it multiple times every week for work.)

http://www.epa.illinois.gov/topics/air-quality/vw-settlement/index#publicInput

BTW it’s a terrible website. Information is just lost on there. The landing page is useless.

Comment by Lefty Lefty Friday, May 11, 18 @ 11:50 am
FOIA request filed yet for all those meetings Messina says he had, Dan Mihalopolous?

Comment by For Pete's Sake Friday, May 11, 18 @ 12:38 pm
Could this lead to the Trashcan Van being “transformed” into a stack of scrap metal?

Comment by Arthur Andersen Friday, May 11, 18 @ 2:21 pm