SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Jan.11, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Irving Park and Frontage Road in Schaumburg, IL, has 55 acres of wetland in agricultural use. Recently, residents have been informed that Village of Schaumburg entered into real estate contract with Experior Transport. They intend to build a gas station, trailer parking, warehouse, and truck and trailer repair station. It is said that this company also intends to erect a 140,000 square feet building for offices in addition to a parking lot for trucks.
By carrying out this massive development, property zoning will be altered. One resident stated that "the area we live in is unincorporated and is considered a residential area. The construction of this establishment would deprive our community of the very necessities that define a home, safety and comfort".
The air and the environs of Long Avenue in Schaumburg communities would now be at risk for air pollution. NCBI study show that air contamination levels are five to thirty times higher in gas stations located next to residential areas. Another study by Maher Soliman also detected that vehicle repair compounds could be possible cancer-causing agents because air pollution can occur from diesel engines idling for extended amounts of time, along with paint vapors and dust from vehicle body refinishing.
EPA study show that these types of material can settle on the establishment's parking lots and other impervious surfaces and could stream down when it rains onto the residential properties close by. These polluting materials can exude harmful substances into people's lungs, their land, and water.
Gas stations provide an abundance of air pollution. The California Air Resources Board's publication Air Quality and Use Handbook: A Community Health Perspective recommends a minimum of 300-ft isolation between gas stations and other sensitive lands. Lands used for places of residence, schools, day-care centers, playgrounds, or medical facilities are all considered to be in the category of sensitive lands. California's state is widely recognized as having some of the most effective air pollution control requirements in the nation. Considering this establishment's proximity to Schaumburg residents, it must be moved elsewhere to meet this criterion.
Another resident stated that "Our community uses private well systems, and the chemicals from the underground tanks of gas could contaminate our water. We have already invested a lot of resources to keep our water clean. with a gas station, and a trucking station so close it will become more costly and more difficult to keep our water safe".
Vehicles driving in and being repaired may also provide discontent and damage to the hearing of these residents as air guns produce noise levels of 104 dBA, and if air chisels are used in body shops, they can emit 112 dBA. For every 3 dB above 85 dBA, the maximum exposure time is cut in half. This means that people cannot be exposed to its sound for protracted periods. People living next to to this massive development, exposed to these immense sound levels, may have challenges with their hearing.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that children have no exposure above 120 dB to protect their ears, and adults also need to be excessively wary. Considering that there are many children in this community, the noise will be both equally irritating and detrimental.
Another point to note is that the wetland is home to many animals. The benefit of wetland to animals is food and habitat for fish and wildlife. The residents also pointed out coyotes, owls, bats, deer, snakes, turtles, and all kinds of birds living in that area. If this land were to be destroyed, where would they go? They would become a threat to the community.
A lot of the homes in this area have been recently bought, because of the outdoor space, nature and quietness of the area. If these commercial facilities are built so close to residential area, the homes' value will fall drastically, because it's unhealthy and not ideal to live next to a commercial business that produces harmful pollution day and night.
This is an injustice that must be prevented, considering it will be an immense disturbance to the residents and the lives of the entire neighborhood. When purchasing a house, people expects to live in a calm and quiet area, where after a long day of work, you can finally relax and enjoy the peace of your home with your family. If this gas station is established, along with other facilities, it will affect Long Avenue neighborhoods negatively and all residents will no longer have pleasure in recreational lives. This proposed plan to build a commercial trucking station is not only unnecessary, but it will also be perilous and bothersome.
The residents of Schaumburg love their community and want nothing but to enjoy their surroundings. If this big commercial enterprise comes, their safe haven faces the possibility of becoming non-existent.
Media Contact
Alan Lewis, Save Schaumburg Wetlands, +1 8477217749, [email protected]
SOURCE Save Schaumburg Wetlands
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