Responsible land stewardship is a key aspect of our environmental commitment. We have worked with nonprofit organizations, government entities and businesses to develop former utility operations sites in ways that support environmental health and community well-being.
History of manufactured gas plants
From the early 1800s until the 1960s, local plants manufactured gas for heating and lighting. These plants were the pride of many cities because gas was a better source of energy: Gas lights replaced oil lamps, and gas eliminated the need to cook and heat with wood or coal. The plants prospered until more affordable, cleaner natural gas began to arrive by pipeline in the 1960s. There were about 2,000 to 2,500 gas plant sites in the U.S.
Peoples Gas and its prior subsidiaries acquired or operated a number of gas plants in numerous parts of Chicago.
Environmental considerations
The process of manufacturing gas resulted in numerous byproducts. These included tars, oils and wood chips. Many plants sold the byproducts, especially the coal tar, which could be distilled and used in dozens of products, including fuels, fertilizer, creosote, plastics and pharmaceuticals.
Byproducts that could not be sold were sometimes left on-site. At most plants, storage tanks were made of wood or brick, with piping and other equipment that may have leaked. When the plants were demolished, some waste may have been left on-site. At the time, there were no regulations for disposing of such materials, and these practices were common nationwide. However, the result is that some byproducts are still present in the soil today.
We’re helping to clean up Chicago
In recent years, Peoples Gas has voluntarily worked with United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) to remove significant sources of manufactured gas plant contamination in the soil. The process included demolition and removal of old underground foundations, and landfill disposal or remediation of impacted soil and debris.
During cleanup activities, we take action to manage temporary impacts:
- Truck traffic
- Dust
- Odor (asphalt or roofing tar-like)
- Sounds (equipment and sheet pile installation)
To minimize impacts and protect the local community, we manage our sites as follows:
- Limiting equipment operation hours in accordance with Chicago ordinance.
- Conducting real-time perimeter air monitoring and 24-hour sampling with reporting to U.S. EPA.
- Mitigating odor and dust with engineering controls as needed.
- Providing traffic controls, street and sidewalk cleaning, security, and perimeter fencing.
Peoples Gas has completed a number of cleanup projects in recent years that have allowed for site redevelopment.
Current cleanup efforts
South Station
A new cleanup project on the South Station former MGP site (2730 S. Eleanor St.) will begin in fall 2025. Work will occur on the eastern side of the site, and involve excavation and off-site disposal of soils and former gas plant foundations and structures, remediation of deep impacted soils, and environmental monitoring. The U.S. EPA will again oversee these efforts.
If you have questions about the project, please contact us at 877-380-0522.
