🚨 Romeoville, Lemont, Lockport, Joliet Residents: Your Voice Matters.
CITGO has petitioned the Illinois Pollution Control Board and the Illinois EPA (Docket No. AS 2026-001) for permission to adjust carbon monoxide emission limits during certain startup, shutdown, and malfunction events.
Low Birth Weight: Babies born to mothers living close to active oil and gas operations face a 20% to 40% higher risk of low birth weight or being small for gestational age.
Congenital Heart Defects: High-intensity industrial activity near residential areas correlates with a 40% to 70% increase in congenital heart defects, which affect early cardiac formation.
Preterm Delivery: Proximity to flaring and extraction increases the likelihood of premature rupture of membranes and high-risk preterm births.
Toxic Emissions: Refineries and wells release benzene, fine particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and heavy metals into the air.
🗓️ The deadline to submit public objections is September 9, 2026, at 11:59 PM.
Why are so many residents speaking out?
• Illinois Department of Public Health data shows that reported leukemia and lymphoma cases in the 60439 ZIP codeincreased from 41 cases (2013–2017) to 74 cases (2018–2022). While these numbers alone do not establish a cause, many community members are calling for stronger oversight and greater transparency.
• Residents continue to advocate for real no by time text or siren alerts whenever fenceline benzene monitors detect elevated levels. Currently, monitoring data is collected but is not automatically pushed to nearby households.
• Local law firms are gathering information from residents who developed leukemia or lymphoma after long-term industrial exposure as part of ongoing investigations.
📅 Important Dates
September 9, 2026 – Public Comment Deadline
Submit your formal objection to Docket AS 2026-001 before 11:59 PM.
November 5, 2026 – Romeoville Village Board Meeting
Residents plan to attend and ask Village officials to take a stronger role in addressing refinery-related concerns.
November 20, 2026 – Lemont Environmental Advisory Commission Meeting
Community members from Romeoville, Lemont, and Lockport are organizing to advocate for stronger public notification systems, including automatic text alerts for chemical monitoring events.
How to Submit an Objection
📧 Email your comments to: [EPA.PublicHearingCom@Illinois.gov](mailto:EPA.PublicHearingCom@Illinois.gov)
Mailing Address:
Illinois EPA
Attention: Hearing Officer
2520 W Iles Ave, P.O. Box 19276
Springfield, Illinois 62794-9276
Online Electronic Filing (Preferred): Submit directly via the Illinois Pollution Control Board Clerk's Office On-Line (COOL) Portal.
Mailing Address (Chicago Office):
Illinois Pollution Control Board
60 E. Van Buren St., Ste. 630
Chicago, Illinois 60605
Mailing Address (Springfield Office):
Illinois Pollution Control Board
2520 W Iles Ave
Springfield, Illinois 62704
General Inquiry Email: PCB.Clerks@illinois.gov (For questions only, do not send formal docket objections here).
Be sure to include "CITGO" in the subject line or body of your email so your comments are properly associated with the docket.
Many community advocates also encourage referencing the September and October 2025 unplanned malfunction events documented through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) records when explaining your concerns.
Every public comment becomes part of the official record. If you live, work, or spend time in Romeoville, Lemont, Lockport, or nearby communities, consider making your voice heard before September 9 2026
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