The Illinois Pollution Control Board is slated to hold a public hearing on Friday regarding a request from the Citgo Lemont Refinery for “relief” from state carbon monoxide emissions standards.
The hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. in the board room of the Lemont Township Community Center, 16300 Alba St., in Lemont.
The refinery is located off the intersection of 135th Street and New Avenue near the border between Romeoville and Lemont.
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Citgo’s request would allow the refinery to produce more than the legal limit of carbon monoxide emissions “for certain sources during start up, shut down, and malfunction when proper operations are upset.”
Citgo argues in its petition the relief is applicable only to a limited set of circumstances to compensate for times when equipment is not working properly and cannot operate to the regular standard.
Carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless gas produced by the incomplete burning of fuel, and is highly toxic to humans and animals.
Residents in the area of the refinery have put out a call on social media to attend the hearing and protest the allowance, arguing that it poses severe health risks to the surrounding communities.
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Opponents are attempting to organize residents from surrounding communities including Lemont, Lockport, Homer Glen, Romeoville, Bolingbrook, Burr Ridge, Woodridge, and Darien, to speak out against the petition, which they say poses a risk to the local environment and residents.
Residents who cannot attend can read the entire Citgo petition on the Illinois Pollution Control Board website.
“Decisions made today can impact the quality of life for Lemont and surrounding communities for generations to come,” a flier circulated by opponents on social media states. “Your participation ensures the Illinois Pollution Control Board understands community concerns.”
Citgo often makes donations to local schools, law enforcement agencies and fire department as part of its philanthropic operations, including a $4,000 donation to the Will County Sheriff’s Office in 2025.