Gary and Northwest Indiana residents face a critical month for the region’s environmental safeguards, as multiple federal and state agencies weigh new rules that could shape local air quality and public health. Upcoming public hearings are scheduled to gather resident feedback, covering topics ranging from equipment at the Gary Works steel mill to particulate matter […]
Environmental Justice
Posted inAir Pollution, Environmental Justice
Gary Residents Raise Alarm Over Steel Mill Pollution
Nearly 50 people gathered Tuesday evening at the Gary Public Library to share a long-standing concern: The air they breathe has contributed to serious health problems. The gathering, organized by the city’s Air Pollution Committee, took place just blocks away from Gary Works’ towering smokestacks, which have loomed over the city’s skyline for generations. Much […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Politics & Policy
EPA Rollbacks Leave Gary at Risk From Air Pollution and Steel Emissions
In late July, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin appeared at an auto dealership in Indianapolis, just three hours away from the smoke stacks of the nation’s largest integrated steel mill, to unveil “one of the largest deregulation efforts in U.S. history.” It’s just one of the latest slashes to environmental safeguards affecting industrial communities […]
Posted inUnsafe Water
E. Coli Found in Gary Beaches, but Officials Say Risk Is Low
Kenyon Pool spent a recent July afternoon at Gary’s Lake Street Beach with his two children, having made the drive from Hammond to enjoy the summer weather. “It’s a nice day, so I wanted to let them get out and enjoy the water,” he said. But Pool said he doesn’t know how to check for […]
Posted inExtreme Weather
Hotter Days, Higher Electric Bills: How Climate Change Is Impacting Gary
Climate change is causing significant and far-reaching impacts on the Great Lakes region, a new study finds. Gary is no exception. As triple-digit temperatures bring record-breaking heatwaves to the area, and higher electricity bills, a new report shows how hot it is now and predicts how much worse things could get. Since 1951, annual average […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Politics & Policy
Gary Residents Could Soon Be Free From Vehicle Emissions Testing
After years of debate, Gary residents may soon see an end to the every-other-year vehicle emissions testing that’s long been required in Lake and Porter counties, thanks to a push state lawmakers are making to end it. The policy, a holdover from decades-old federal air quality regulations, has disproportionately impacted working-class residents in Northwest Indiana. […]
Posted inExtreme Weather
Where to Find Gary Cooling Centers During This Weekend’s Heat Wave
As the city enjoys Juneteenth celebrations and block parties, residents are urged to take precaution during a regional heat wave that is expected to last through the weekend’s festivities. A heat wave poised to smother the region with near-triple-digit heat could make weekend events hazardous for anyone outdoors too long. The National Weather Service issued […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice
Gary Families Can Now Test Home Air, Soil and Water for Toxins
Gary and other Lake County residents are being asked to help gauge dangerous pollutants after an initial study found contamination at alarming levels. “By participating, you could learn more about pollution in your home, whether you have been exposed, and how that might affect the health of your family and the community,” said Ellen Wells, […]
Posted inExtreme Weather, News
Gary Hit Hard by Storms: 1 in 10 Residents Without Power
Heavy winds and thunderstorms blew through the city of Gary Thursday evening, causing nearly 8,000 residents to remain without power, according to NIPSCO, Indiana’s largest electric and power company. Approximately 57,000 NIPSCO customers were without power on Friday afternoon. That total includes 7,769 Gary residents, more than 10% of the city’s population. Gary ZIP code […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice
Lead, Iron, and Manganese Found in Gary’s Air and Soil
This series was produced as part of the Pulitzer Center’s StoryReach U.S. Fellowship. For decades, Gary has worn the title “Steel City” with pride. Today, researchers are finding that a by-product of that legacy is airborne particles laced with heavy metal contaminants that drift into homes and settle in lungs. Now, a new study offers […]
