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Here are jest a few letters sent and received.
Dear Senator Silverstein, 9/5/07
Per our discussion at the
town hall meeting on July !2th 07'. I have made several telephone calls to your Devon and Springfield offices, and have yet to hear from you. I appreciate that you are a busy individual, but we had your word that you would meet with us as residents, constituents, taxpayers, etc, in the near future. I realize that we had just passed the state budget and you may have not been available.
Senator, our families have been literally stuck in this despicable situation for far too long now.
It seems that from the IEPA ,they don't even know what they are doing.
So, after 10 years of living in my community in a house that has been according to the IEPA's
standards "NOT FIT FOR RESIDENTIAL LAND USE"> we are still here with no real action. The funny thing is that so many violations
according to the state of il law...have been broken. Bell fuels got away with their own subcontractor performing the environmental testing, with screw up after screw up ,we are still here five years later no better off. We can't sell our
home, we can't rent
it out. We haven't been "cleaned up" as the IEPA and Bell Fuels would like everyone to think.
Now, you are dealing with families that are not only physically, emotionally, and financially sick! I think it is about time that somebody does something about this. I with counsel have done
everything humanly possible to communicate with the IEPA to only have their legal counsel shoved in my face? I thought the P in the
Ieper stood for protection? IT's pretty ironic that according to the
freedom of information act that the government has given bell
fuels funds to clean up their mess. WHAT ABOUT THE MESS THEY LEFT FOR US!
I hope Senator that you are a man of your word and will try to help is in any capacity i and we are at our wits end. I would be willing to show you how many man hours that i have personally spent trying to resolve this major fiasco.
Please contact me at your first opportunity.
Sincerely,
Mrs. jennifer Lubeck-Carter
6033 n Kedvale ave
Chicago, Il 60646
January 22, 2008 Mrs. Jennifer Carter 6033 North Kedvale Ave Chicago, IL 60646 Dear Mrs. Carter: It is important that community residents know when and where unhealthy toxic chemicals are being used and released. In December 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a rule that weakens reporting standards established by the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) program more than 20 years ago. The EPA rule allows factories and manufacturers to release up to 5,000 pounds of a wide variety of toxic chemicals per year without disclosing this information to the general public. In addition, the rule exempts facilities that release less than 500 pounds per year of persistent bioaccumulative toxins (PBTs), like lead and mercury, from standard reporting requirements. S. 595 would amend the Community Right-To-Know Act of 1986 to restore previous threshold levels for the reporting of toxic chemicals that may present a significant risk to children's health or the environment. This measure also would prevent the current Administration and future Administrations from changing guidelines related to the release of hazardous toxic chemicals without Congressional approval. The Toxic Right-to-Know Protection Act was referred to the Environment and Public Works Committee. The committee has favorably reported the measure for consideration by the full Senate. Please be assured that I will keep your views in mind as steps are taken to bring this bill to the Senate floor for a vote. Thank you again for your message. Please feel free to keep in touch. Sincerely, Richard J. Durbin United States Senator RJD/ec P.S. If you are ever visiting Washington , please feel free to join Senator Obama and me at our weekly constituent coffee. When the Senate is in session, we provide coffee and donuts every Thursday at 8:30 a.m. as we hear what is on the minds of Illinoisans and respond to your questions. We would welcome your participation. Please call my D.C. office for more details. richard.finley@illinois.gov
Dear Mr. Finley, 9/7/07
I have made numerous attempts to reach you regarding the lust situation on Kedvale ave. i speak for all my neighbors when I ask why we have yet to hear from you a gain and why there hasn't been any so called further tests being performed.
according to you and i repeat that you are correct that this is despicable and what a fiasco after five and a half years of screw up after screw up. No one even in the IEPA even knows whats going on! i thought the P in the IEPA stood for protection? My counsel and my neighbor's counsel have also tried reaching you without any returned calls.
I am aware that there have been meetings upon meetings with respect to so called "remediation" plans that have never been implemented after five years but also according to IL state law the numerous violations that Bell Fuel ls should and may have. i am also aware of the latest federal violation,also not to mention that the government has given funds to the oil company to help"clean up" WHAT ABOUT OUR MESS? We live almost everyday with the acrid smell or odors of diesel. Not very nice for our five year old to smell whilst trying to learn how to read. Not so nice for my 71 year old neighbor and lady that i consider to be my son's grandmother to add to her already health issues.
We could or I could go on and on. You seem like one of the only people that seemed to care about our situation. It seems that anytime we try to take two steps ahead we take three steps back.
Please will you give me the courtesy of at least a returned phone call?
thank you.
Dear Rebecca. RebeccaS@environmentillinois.org
First of all I would like to update you on our untenable
situation. Regarding Bell Fuels, I feel compelled to ask you again is anyone within the state of Illinois going to look into our situation regarding the contamination with our house? (6033 N Kedvale Ave Chicago 60646).My family and I are in an impossible situation! Please let me
explain, The first part of my original letter(email) to you (see below) I informed you of our then
situation, which has dramatically changed. Now my family and I have been forced to leave the United States. Here is why. We are still waiting for an explanation from the state EPA IEPA our congressman's, Senators, Representatives and others as to why an American family were so egregiously treated by our government? Now we are literally exiled to my husband's sister's house in
England.
Having the four of us sleeping in one
room, no credit, no money, we have lost our home to the banks because we were unable to sell and pay off our
debts, creditors etc. Bell Fuel's attorney told us we should try and sell it ,Century 21 did try subsequently after months of the for sale sign out front and people interested after knowing the fact that our home was badly contaminated with diesel fuels pulled out of any potential
deal, thus far removed their for sale sign and ended the contract saying they could no way be involved in selling a contaminated house.
Our situation right now as the government and the courts are dragging their feet ,my family our stagnant and in tremendous turmoil. Our six year old son
cries everyday "When can we go home Mommy?" I cant can't tell you enough what this situation has put my family through. My family and I have now been in the
UK for five months not being able to take care of our business in
Chicago, we had no choice but to quickly leave for the sake of our son's health as well as the utility companies shutting off everything and the added worry of debt collections. We cannot come home! We miss our country and to add insult to
injury, we are literally homeless! This entire fiasco has left a very bad taste in our mouths. We were under the mistaken impression that we would be protected by our
government, now we our outcasts from our own community.
Also we have had to sell all of our furniture and
personal belongings to see us
through, hoping that something would be done and put this matter to rest.
After six grueling years of misery and uncertainty we are still being victimized and punished because of an oil companies
mistakes. How long must we suffer before people such as yourself give us relief? Surely somebody has some empathy for a family lost. Please ,Please,
Please, Senator help us. Is there any justice left in
Illinois? who is on our side?
It seems that the oil company have all the
money, time, resources at their disposal, I guess it all boils down to money and
power, what about the little guy, a families life doesn't matter does it? I am demanding justice!!!! Everybody talks about the environment and how important it is for the well being of
all, what about ours? We lived over ten years on top of a cancer causing carcinogens(diesel). Why was this allowed to happen? It seems that it has been kept in the dark all these years. Our country is supposed to be for the rights of the citizen to live in a clean and safe environment. I look forward to your response.
I can be reached by telephone directly from the United States on 011441797223695 Mrs. jennifer Lubeck Carter #29 Lea Avenue Rye, east Sussex England TN317BH.
Yours Sincerely
Jennifer Lubeck
This letter was also sent to Representative John D'Amico. And Senator Silverstein Monday, May 19, 2008 Lisa Madigan. Monday, May 19, 2008 Senator Durbin
Senator Durbin, Monday, May 19, 2008
Finally! Someone seems to actually care about our family's situation. I will start by speaking as a
mother, first and foremost. I feel I need to explain myself and my family's
situation, I am still at a loss, years of hope and drama, ups and downs, anger and despair that my children have been exposed to uncaring and inadequate governmental
bureaucracy, and the total lack of accountability from anyone from the bottom to the top. Our story (my) story needs to be heard.
I would absolutely be honored to have coffee with you and
Senator Obama
on Thursday January 31st to speak with you face to face because there is another aspect to this fiasco that has not been considered. (pain and suffering). What I mean by this is
now am loosing my personal good
name, my credit, and my home,
because of six years of so called corrective action plans(remediation),we have been held financial prisoners ,being an inch away from total financial peril or
ruin, I have not been able to sell, leave, rent out.etc our first home.... to add insult to injury that during these last few
months, we have had to borrow money from friends to "just get by?"!
How is one supposed to meet for
coffee, when I am literally counting coins to buy milk and bread for my five year old son!
I have lost my dignity as a
woman, a mother ,a taxpayer , the complete stigma painted on our home and on my good name going from platinum credit to you have to be kidding me! I have (we) have been victimized over and over and over again. How long does my family and the other constituents on our block have to bear the burden of an oil company's mistake! I ask Senator
Durbin, Where is the justice in that?
We have been forced to put our home on the market with the knowledge that even with
disclosure feel it is unethical period! My next door neighbor an elderly sick lady(highly religious and respected in her community as well as our
own, has to endure this continued pain and suffering after leaving
Iraq over thirty years ago..
I am advocating for all of my
neighbors, there are many young children and elderly that are being affected as well.
Senator
Durbin, I have gone from a happy mother in a bubble of lost happiness. The last ten years of my personal life have been a nightmare!
I lost both dear
parents, lost both family dogs,
due to old age, illness etc. from admitting myself into a stress center,(on my own
accord, and signing myself out,
to self help and intense therapy with a family member whom is a therapist. I spent four weeks away from my eighteen month old son. Time is precious. You cannot replace it. The love of my husband who helped nurse both of my parents and nursed me as well.
The rest is history and you will again I hope refer to our
website, everything is the complete truth. If it weren't for my husband's British
citizenship, we would be homeless by now. I ask again ,why has the justice system taken so long to act on this being a threat to peoples
long term health?
I assure you senator Durbin, that I refuse to be a victim any longer. I am a survivor! I promise you that I will continue to pursue and expose this complete travesty of justice for mine and the other families this has touched . What I continue to question is why the residents were not evacuated immediately considering that according to the IEPA standard 'our home was unfit for residential land use!
Please excuse my passion ,but
again, I speak as a mother, and I hope and pray Sir that you will honestly look into this with impartiality and finally get to the truth.I applaud your work on behalf of families such as
ours, and has made me have a higher opinion and respect for your reply. You have given me hope! I would like to close in also quoting a wonderful lady who is terminally ill in
England my
Mum, mother in law Res non verba (DEEDS NOT WORDS)
Yours Sincerely,
Mrs. Jennifer Carter
773-349-7320
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