Residents press for real-time monitoring; Lemont schedules Nov. 20 workshop with IEPA and Citgo

Lemont’s mayor addressed community concerns about air-quality data linked to industrial sites in and near the village and announced an environmental workshop for Nov. 20 to review monitoring reports publicly.

Mayor Agofsky acknowledged social-media postings about Citgo and said the village has spoken with Citgo and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. ‘‘Everything we’ve heard from the Illinois EPA as well as Citgo is they are totally in compliance with federal standards,’’ the mayor said, while also acknowledging social-media claims to the contrary and saying the Nov. 20 meeting is intended to review the actual reported data.

At the public-comment portion of the meeting, resident Laura Regal — who described chemical-industry experience in the region — urged the village to pursue real-time monitoring rather than retrospective reports she described as a ‘‘too late device.’’ ‘‘They want some accountability before that. They want to know when it’s happening today,’’ Regal said, calling for earlier notification and local monitoring.

Resident Amy Kelly asked that village administration be represented at the Nov. 20 LEAC meeting and said she had reached out previously with limited response; she asked the village to ensure administrative participation so community concerns can be addressed.

Village staff said they expect the Illinois EPA to attend the Nov. 20 session and that Citgo has indicated a willingness to collaborate on workshops. Staff noted the village’s resources for ongoing monitoring are limited and said they are exploring additional options and state or federal assistance for interpreting and supplementing reported data.

What’s next: the village will host the Nov. 20 environmental meeting and seek to share monitoring data in a public forum; residents requested clearer notification procedures and more immediate monitoring options.