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, […]
Environmental Justice
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 […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice
Planet Palooza in Gary Blends Culture, Nature, and Environmental Justice
On the sandy shores of the Indiana National Dunes, a dozen environmental organizations gathered on Saturday to celebrate — and protect — their planet. Kimmie Gordon, founder of Brown Faces Green Spaces, an environmental equity organization, said the event started six years ago with just a few vendors and attendees. Today, Planet Palooza, as it […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Unsafe Water, Utilities
In Gary, Thousands of Lead Pipes Still Lurk Beneath Homes
The report card for America’s infrastructure is out – and it’s not looking good. The nation received a C- for drinking water, a “mediocre” ranking that reflects widespread deterioration and requires attention. “Some elements exhibit significant deficiencies in conditions and functionality, increasing vulnerability to risk,” the report stated. The American Society of Civil Engineers, which […]
Posted inExtreme Weather, Public Safety, Utilities
Day After Tornadoes, Gary Residents Begin to Rebuild and Reflect
A day after tornadoes ripped through Gary, residents and officials alike are continuing to grapple with the devastation left behind. Friday morning marked a slow return to normalcy for many, as utility crews worked tirelessly to restore power and residents sifted through debris. “It’s tough to look at, but people are doing what they can,” […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Politics & Policy
EPA Rollbacks Mean More Pollution, Less Justice for Black Communities
For a quarter of a century, a Black neighborhood in Beaumont, Texas, where Chris Jones lives has been the subject of two federal civil rights investigations by the Environmental Protection Agency that explore the role of race in his community’s disproportionately high levels of air pollution. In San Francisco, Kamillah Ealom’s neighborhood has been the […]
Posted inExtreme Weather, Public Safety, Utilities
Shaken Gary Residents Dig Out After Tornado Touches Down in Region
Toppled power lines. Caved-in roofs. Lumbering trees crashed into the Earth. And residents left stunned. These were just a few of the images greeting Gary this morning after a tornado whipped through the city Wednesday evening, devastating dozens of homes in the Tolleston neighborhood and leaving thousands of Northwest Indiana residents without power. By Thursday […]
Posted inAir Pollution, Environmental Justice
Braun’s Executive Order Sparks Alarm in Polluted Communities Like Gary
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun’s latest executive order eliminating environmental justice protections is sparking concern in communities like Gary, a city long plagued by industrial pollution. Environmental advocates warn that gutting oversight will leave vulnerable residents with fewer safeguards against toxic emissions and hazardous waste. Earlier this week, Braun signed an executive order eliminating “environmental justice” […]
Posted inExtreme Weather, Public Services
Gary Warming Centers: Where to Go During Extreme Cold
As Gary braces for a blast of bitter cold, the city has expanded its network of warming centers to protect residents from subzero temperatures expected in the coming days. Among the options is a newly reopened Ambridge-Mann Community Center on Fourth Avenue, providing critical overnight shelter for families, children, and the elderly at risk from […]
