P.E.R.R.O.

http://www.latinocongreso.org/

The day is almost here. The National Latino Congreso is just a couple days away. PERRO has been honored and excited to be a member of the local host committee of the Congreso. Please support PERRO by joining us at this important, historic event. You need to register NOW! Contact PERRO organizer Jerry Mead-Lucero if you would like to attend the Congreso as a guest of PERRO… (312) 502-7867

PERRO is organizing two workshops at the Congreso…

Friday, May 18, 2012
Morning Sessions – 10:45 a.m.- 12:15 p.m.

3A.) Environmental Justice: From the Local to the Global
Organizations: PERRO, Oxfam America
Speakers:
Sofia Vergara – Oxfam
Jerry Mead-Lucero – PERRO
Claudia Lucero – Durango Unido
Facilitator: Jerry Mead-Lucero

Will examine environmental justice issues from a transnational perspective with a focus on the relationship between climate change and migration in the Americas.

Friday, May 18, 2012
Afternoon Sessions- 2:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.

9B.) Work and Environmental Justice Struggles in Chicago Communities
Organizations: UFCW, LVEJO, UFCW, PERRO, SETF
Speakers:
Moises Zavala – UFCW
Jerry Mead-Lucero – PERRO
Kim Wasserman-Nieto – LVEJO
Peggy Salazar – SETF
Facilitator: Jerry Mead-Lucero

Will examine recent struggles for worker and environmental justice in Chicago’s Latino communities. Continue reading →

What do YOU want to see at the Fisk Plant Site?

PERRO (The Pilsen Environmental Rights and Reform Organization) for more than a decade lead the campaign in Pilsen that resulted in the closure of the neighborhood’s biggest polluter – the Fisk Coal Plant on Cermak Ave. Now we have opportunity to construct something on the site that will benefit the entire community. PERRO is joining with FEDCMI (Federacion de Clubes Michoacanos de Illinois), Duango Unido and NALACC (National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities) to host a community forum to gather your input.

Thursday, May 10th at 6:30 pm
At Casa Michoacán, 1638 S. Blue Island Ave.

PERRO May 10 Forum Flyer – English
PERRO May 10 Forum Flyer – Spanish

The meeting will be in English and Spanish

Yesterday, Midwest Generation, the company that owns the Fisk and Crawford coal fired power plants announced they would be closing the plants ahead of the proposed December 2012 deadline for Fisk and the December 2014 deadline for Crawford. This is yet again a victory for the decade long campaign lead in the Pilsen neighborhood by PERRO.

For more details see the following links…

http://www.midwestenergynews.com/2012/05/02/chicago-coal-plants-to-shut-down-sooner-than-expected/

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-05-02/news/chi-midwest-generation-to-close-2-chicago-coal-plants-20120502_1_fisk-and-crawford-coal-plants-environmental-groups

Note the reference in the following to the PERRO meeting last month…

http://progressillinois.com/news/content/2012/05/03/chicago-coal-plant-shut-downs-pushed-forward

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/03/utilities-edisoninternational-coal-idUSL1E8G3JM520120503

This note just came in from Doug McFarlan, the President of Midwest Generation, (owner of Chicago’s two coal-fired power plants):

Subject: News from Midwest Generation

All-

I wanted to advise you that this afternoon Midwest Generation announced to our employees that we plan to shut down both the Fisk and Crawford plants in September of this year. Even though our agreements gave us the flexibility to run Fisk through the end of this year and Crawford through 2014, our ongoing economic analysis makes clear that it is in the best interests of our overall company that we take this action after running the plants through this summer’s peak demand period. We estimate that decommissioning work inside the plants will take about three months after shutdown to complete. Our next focus will be on working with the union representing our workers and within our management ranks to design the process and terms for a reduction in force that will affect all of the Midwest Gen plants and offices in Illinois.

I do not see this decision as impacting the work we have been doing with the mayor’s task force and community groups with respect to developing ideas for potential redevelopment uses and funding. The only material change is that we now know that both sites will cease being used for electric power generation by the end of this year, although, as we have discussed, significant ComEd infrastructure and operations remain on both sites.

Regards,

Doug McFarlan

Calling all Community Residents!
SATURDAY – April 21
THE MARY ZEPEDA NATIVE GARDEN – 1423 w. 17TH ST.
FOR A COMMUNITY EVENT!
10:00a – 2:00p
Come join us for the uncovering of a mural and various workshops about nutrition, family outdoor play, monarch butterflies, and how to create your own rainbarrel!

The Mary Zepeda Native Garden is an outdoor climate classroom on 17th street in Pilsen.

PERRO’s presentation on rain barrels and EJ in Pilsen starts at 1:00 PM

Saturday, April 7th
11:00 AM Gather at the Plaza at Juarez High School
12:00 PM Music and Poetry at Plaza Tenochtitlan (Blue Island and 18th Street)
1:00 PM Board the Pink Line to head down to Occupy Chicago rally in Downtown

The first stop on the march will be at H. Kramer after we leave Juarez.

Check out this new video promoting the upcoming National Latino Congreso with PERRO’s very own Ramiro Borja…

Thursday, April 12th
Zona Abierta: *Environmental Justice Struggles in the Pilsen Community*

Join us for a discussion with Pilsen Environmental Rights and Reform
Organization (PERRO) leaders Jerry Mead-Lucero and Leila Mendez on how
“environmental racism” has persisted in Chicago communities and how the
“environmental justice movement” is addressing this issue. PERRO works
vigorously in Pilsen, one of the most polluted communities in the
Chicago-land area. They will share their efforts to improve conditions at
H. Kramer and Co., the neighborhood’s largest lead polluter, and the
struggle that led to the recent closing of the Fisk coal-fired power plant.

When: Thursday, April 12th
Time: 3pm to 4:30pm
Where: Latino Cultural Center
Lecture Center B2

Free refreshments and admission

Presented by
The UIC Latino Cultural Center and Mexican Students de Aztlan (MeSA)

For more info, please call 312-996-3095

PERRO is proud to serve on the local host committee for the National Latino Congreso which will be held in Chicago, May 17th – 19th. We invite you all to participate…
http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10150759303758022&id=716583021

PERRO and Durango Unido en Chicago, a hometown association for the Duranguenses living in the Chicago area will be holding a public event in the near future about the connection between climate change and the drought currently afflicting Durango state in Mexico and much of the northern portion of the country. According to the Mexican Department of Agriculture, farmers lost 2.2 million acres of crops and 1.7 million farm animals for lack of water in 2011. And the situation has not improved over the past 3 months. According to the Economic Research Institute at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the drought could lead to a condition of possible starvation for 2.5 million people if things do not improve soon. The Mexican government has responded with economic and food assistance, including $2.5 billion for drought relief, but the crisis is proving to be even greater than what the government can handle.

Here is a video on the crisis in Durango…