# Joint Committee: Environmental Protection and Energy; Economic, Capital and Technology Development meeting, December 6, 2023

- When: Wed, Dec 6, 2023, 10:00 AM (Chicago time)
- Where: City Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/8928494/video/891573839
- Transcript: [full text](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/transcripts/891573839.txt) (40,235 words, official captions)

## Meeting notes

> AI-written from the transcript. Speakers are inferred from cues in the recording, so treat names as estimates and check the video at the linked time.

The joint Committees on Economic, Capital and Technology Development and Environmental Protection and Energy heard six public commenters, mostly child care providers and residents concerned about lead in drinking water, and recommended passage of the resolution calling for a subject matter hearing on the city's lead service line replacement program. The hearing was organized into four panels: the health and environmental impacts of lead exposure (CDPH and advocacy groups), the economic and workforce impacts (building trades and contractor organizations), the current state of Chicago's replacement program (Department of Water Management, with officials from Cincinnati and Newark), and funding challenges (the city CFO and the Metropolitan Planning Council). Speakers discussed Chicago's roughly 400,000 lead service lines, a projected 40-year timeline at 10,000 replacements per year, high per-line costs, state allocation of federal funds, outreach and right-of-entry barriers, and legal limits on using water revenue bonds for private-side replacements. Members discussed coordination of street work, workforce opportunities, state advocacy and an ordinance modeled on Newark's program; no vote was taken on the subject matter.

Topics: Lead service line replacement, Lead exposure and public health, Water infrastructure funding, Workforce development, Child care providers, State and federal funding allocation, Public comment

### Agenda items discussed

- [36:36](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F35C39DA-F083-EE11-8178-001DD83091CA?t=2196) Resolution calling for a subject matter hearing on the city's lead service line replacement programs: passed
- [37:12](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F35C39DA-F083-EE11-8178-001DD83091CA?t=2232) Subject matter hearing on lead service line replacement: discussed

### Alderpersons who spoke

- [Gilbert Villegas](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/36) (chair): Opened the hearing calling lead service lines a public health matter and noting that Chicago is expected to receive about $4 million of $230 million in 2024 state allocations despite having most of the state's lead lines. ([37:12](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F35C39DA-F083-EE11-8178-001DD83091CA?t=2232)); Said the problem is a multibillion-dollar funding and communication issue, described his proposed ordinance modeled on Newark, and noted the state set a 50-year mandate without funding. ([2:09:31](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F35C39DA-F083-EE11-8178-001DD83091CA?t=7771)); Said a project management approach to coordinating infrastructure work is needed and offered to support an ordinance on scheduling coordination. ([2:36:27](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F35C39DA-F083-EE11-8178-001DD83091CA?t=9387))
- [Maria E. Hadden](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/49) (chair): Said Chicago leads the nation in lead service lines with disproportionate impacts on low-income, Black and Brown communities, and outlined the hearing's four segments. ([38:49](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F35C39DA-F083-EE11-8178-001DD83091CA?t=2329)); Said annual capital improvement briefings show alderpersons maps of suspected lead service lines and testing kit data for their wards. ([1:28:24](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F35C39DA-F083-EE11-8178-001DD83091CA?t=5304)); Asked the Water Management commissioner what staffing and equipment would be needed to keep up with break-and-leak replacements while starting a block-level program. ([4:24:32](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F35C39DA-F083-EE11-8178-001DD83091CA?t=15872))
- [William Conway](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/34) (alderperson): Asked about the state funding allocation to Chicago, how lead in water compares to lead paint as a source, and whether filters would solve the problem. ([1:18:04](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F35C39DA-F083-EE11-8178-001DD83091CA?t=4684))
- [Byron Sigcho-López](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/25) (alderperson): Asked what remedies exist for absentee landlords who slow lead service line replacement. ([1:22:12](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F35C39DA-F083-EE11-8178-001DD83091CA?t=4932))
- [Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/48) (alderperson): Asked about the city's strategy and lead departments for outreach to residents about lead and filters. ([1:24:16](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F35C39DA-F083-EE11-8178-001DD83091CA?t=5056)); Asked what the biggest roadblock is and why replacement could take up to 50 years. ([2:08:34](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F35C39DA-F083-EE11-8178-001DD83091CA?t=7714))
- [Gregory I. Mitchell](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/7) (alderperson): Said coordination between Water Management, CDOT and utilities has been poor, citing streets reopened after resurfacing, and said he has a coordination ordinance ready. ([2:32:11](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F35C39DA-F083-EE11-8178-001DD83091CA?t=9131)); Said residents of disinvested communities he represents must have access to careers created by the replacement program. ([2:34:35](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F35C39DA-F083-EE11-8178-001DD83091CA?t=9275)); Asked whether water revenue can legally be used to repay lead line replacement loans. ([4:37:51](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F35C39DA-F083-EE11-8178-001DD83091CA?t=16671))

### Exchanges between members

- [38:49](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F35C39DA-F083-EE11-8178-001DD83091CA?t=2329) Alderperson Maria E. Hadden thanked Alderperson Gilbert Villegas and his team for organizing the hearing.
- [1:18:04](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F35C39DA-F083-EE11-8178-001DD83091CA?t=4684) Alderperson William Conway asked Alderperson Gilbert Villegas to clarify the state funding allocation figures from his opening statement.
- [1:24:45](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F35C39DA-F083-EE11-8178-001DD83091CA?t=5085) Alderperson Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth built on Alderperson William Conway point about filters in asking about outreach.
- [1:28:24](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F35C39DA-F083-EE11-8178-001DD83091CA?t=5304) Alderperson Maria E. Hadden responded to Alderperson Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth about ward-level lead line data available through capital briefings.
- [2:09:31](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F35C39DA-F083-EE11-8178-001DD83091CA?t=7771) Alderperson Gilbert Villegas responded to Alderperson Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth question about the replacement timeline.
- [2:36:27](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F35C39DA-F083-EE11-8178-001DD83091CA?t=9387) Alderperson Gilbert Villegas agreed with Alderperson Gregory I. Mitchell on coordination and offered to support his scheduling ordinance.
- [5:09:19](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F35C39DA-F083-EE11-8178-001DD83091CA?t=18559) Alderperson Gilbert Villegas thanked Alderperson Maria E. Hadden for co-hosting the hearing.
- [5:14:02](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F35C39DA-F083-EE11-8178-001DD83091CA?t=18842) Alderperson Maria E. Hadden thanked Alderperson Gregory I. Mitchell for his participation.

## Documents

- [Agenda](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/b07df042-22a5-4cf7-bce0-3f68c28851b1.pdf)
- [Summary](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/99b55ed3-aa53-41b3-a553-fbce47d2a46f.pdf)
- [Notice](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/4d1349a4-2d13-4788-b800-fad2cee6cc16.pdf)

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Source: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/F35C39DA-F083-EE11-8178-001DD83091CA · Chicago Politics, an independent, nonpartisan tracker of the Chicago City Council. Guide for agents: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/llms.txt