Growing up near the Little Village industrial corridor, I’ve seen firsthand—whether during daily walks or on my way to school—how the increase in truck traffic from nearby warehouses releases thick, dirty smoke from the exhaust pipes, filling the air. The city of Chicago is an inland hub, making it one of the largest intermodal shipping centers in the United States (CMAP). This means that distribution centers and warehouses significantly influence commercial and truck industrial areas, leading to greater concentrations of truck traffic and diesel release emissions. 

These pollutants, particularly nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM 2.5), are primarily released by diesel trucks (EDF). In Illinois, over 2 million residents live within a mile of a warehouse (EDF), and communities like South Lawndale feel the effects. It is home to a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood that faces constant exposure to harmful pollutant emissions from passing trucks. Asthma rates in South Lawndale are 17% higher than the citywide average (Rush, 2013) and disproportionately affect children, with asthma-related ER visits significantly higher in the South and West Side neighborhoods (Healthy Chicago, 2019). In fact, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) alone contributes to more than 7,200 new childhood asthma cases across the state every year (EDF). 

One of the largest warehouses in the South Lawndale neighborhood opened in July 2021, the Target Building Truck Storage Facility of 1.3-million-square-foot warehouse located at 3501 South Pulaski Road. In 2023, the Chicago Truck Count recorded an average of 3,878 trucks passing through South Pulaski Road and West 36th Street–two years after its opening (Chicago Truck Count). The constant flow of trucks exacerbates the worsening traffic and air quality in the community.

This needs to change. We urge you to support SB 838, the Warehouse Pollution Insights Act, which is currently under consideration in the Illinois State Legislature. This bill will require warehouses and truck facilities to register with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), improving emissions tracking and providing much-needed transparency (ILENVIRO). Without action, air pollution from truck traffic will worsen, further exacerbating respiratory conditions in this community. We call on Representative Chuy Garcia, Commissioner Alma Anaya, and Alderman Michael D. Rodriguez to support SB 838 and help us protect communities across Illinois, like South Lawndale, ensuring a safer and healthier environment for all.