ABOUT IT.

>> Reporter: THE PLANS OWNER IS SAID TO PURCHASE ANOTHER PROPERTY JUST A MILE FROM THIS PLANT.

THE STATE SAID THEY WILL ENTER AND LIMITED PARTNERSHIP TO TAKE OVER THE -- PROPERTY.

IT IS LOCATED ALONG THE CHICAGO RIVER AND IS BEEN VACATED FOR YEARS.

WE SPOKE WITH JOSEPH ROY WHO RUNS THE DAILY OPERATIONS THERE.

>> THE FIRST FOCUS WOULD BE REMEDIATING THAT.

IT IS A PRETTY UNSIGHTLY SILO FOR GRAFFITI AND THAT WILL BE FIRST AND FOREMOST.

>> Reporter: THE OWNER SHARES IN PART, JUST AS WE HAVE DONE WITH ALL OUR BUSINESSES OVER THE YEARS MATT IS COMMITTED TO BUILDING A STATE-OF-THE-ART HEADQUARTERS ON THE SILO SITE.

BUT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS STRONGLY OPPOSE ASKING TO GIVE McKINLEY PARK RESIDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS.

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS BELIEVE THE CELL WOULD BE ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE CITY CHOOSING MONEY OVER PEOPLE.

WE GOT A TOUR OF THE FACILITY.

-- CLAIMS THE PLANT HAS LOWER EMISSIONS THAN OTHER ASPHALT PLANTS.

>> WHEN IT COMES TO POLLUTION CONTROL YOU CAN'T DO BETTER THAN THIS ASPHALT PLANT.

WE WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT WE WERE MAKING THE PURCHASE KNOWING FULL WELL WE WERE IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

WE WENT THAT EXTRA MILE.

WE WENT WITH THE HIGH-CAPACITY AND PAVED EVERY SINGLE ROADWAY IN HERE.

THOSE WERE BY DESIGN.

>> Reporter: AS YOU HEARD THERE WERE TWO STRONG SIDES TO THIS.

WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS ARE SAYING AND WHAT MATT ASPHALT IS SAYING.

IS THERE A MIDDLE GROUND?

WE SPOKE WITH PROFESSIONAL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO WHOSE FOCUS IS ON SPECIFIC GAIN OF BROWN AND BLACK EDUCATION.

HE SAID CURRENTLY 60% OF CHICAGO'S ASPHALT PLANTS ARE CONCENTRATED ON CHICANOS SOUTHWEST SIDE.

>> IF WE WERE TO MAP THEM AS WELL AS THEIR STORAGE FACILITIES WE WOULD BE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED RIGHT HERE TO THE NORTH SIDE, TO THE WEST SIDE, AND OF THE SELL SIDE.

WE WOULD BE SURROUNDED BY ASPHALT PLANTS AND THEIR STORAGE FACILITIES.

BOTH OF THEM WE KNOW, WE KNOW DEAL IN EXPENDITURE OF POLLUTION.

>> Reporter: NOW HE IS CALLING FOR THE CITY TO BRING BACK THE ENVIRONMENTAL DEPARTMENT THAT WAS ONCE IN PLACE.

>> THEY DISTRIBUTED ALL THE ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE CHECKMARK BENCHMARKS THAT WERE PART OF THAT THAT WERE DEALING WITH THESE INDUSTRIES IN THESE MANUFACTURING'S, MANUFACTURING FACTORIES WERE DISTRIBUTED.

IT JUST CAME UP IN THE ILLINOIS COUNCIL WEBSITE.

IT WAS WONDERFUL ARTICLE ABOUT THE URGENT NEED FOR CHICAGO TO REINSTATE THEIR DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT.

>> Reporter: HE IS PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO.

HE ALSO SAYS HIS APARTMENT HAS APPLIED FOR A GRANT TO BUILD AN ENVIRONMENTAL HUB AND CONTINUE TO EDUCATE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT AND COMMUNITY HEALTH.

COMING UP WE ARE SPEAKING WITH A LOCAL