Environment

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and South Side Aldermen John Pope (10^th) and George Cardenas (12^th) on Thursday announced an agreed court order aimed at reducing the presence of petroleum coke, a solid by-product of petroleum refining, in the South Deering neighborhood.

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board on Thursday unanimously approved a measure that will moderately increase water treatment fees for the district’s large commercial-industrial and tax exempt clients next year.

Under the ordinance, both tax-exempt and large commercial-industrial users will be charged $246.08 per million gallons of liquid treated by the MWRD, according to the ordinance. The fee for tax-exempt and large commercial-industrial users this year is $241.73 per million gallons.

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board on Thursday approved a payment related to the McCook Reservoir initiative, a key component of the district’s Tunnel and Reservoir Plan. The plan is designed to prevent the flooding of homes and businesses in 125 Cook County communities.