Mayor Brandon Johnson should halt his review of a business permit for a scrap metal shredding operation in Pilsen, a coalition of Southwest Side community groups said Monday.

Sims Metal Management is looking for It’s the type of permit General Iron had previously sought after moving to the Southeast Side. that job Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot was denied a permitand now community groups are asking Johnson to pause the Sims request.

For years, 2500 S. Paulina St. Sims, who operates at , has been accused in the past by state and federal authorities of violating environmental laws. The company signed an agreement with the government six years ago to improve pollution controls through an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Later in 2021, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul sued the company, saying Sims had failed to show that it had reduced air pollution at the Paulina facility.

“Sims violated not once or twice, but many, many, many times,” Theresa McNamara, president of the Southwest Environmental Alliance, told the Sun-Times. “That’s what the mayor needs to see. He needs to see that this is a serial polluter.”

Under an agreement with the state, Sims is building new equipment to control emissions from the facility.

“They shouldn’t get a permit (from the city) until they put the equipment in,” added McNamara. “We need the mayor to stop giving Sims special treatment while ignoring their history in our community.”

Pat Nabong/Sun-Times file

The Sims permit process began under Lightfoot, who halted the opening of a similar car-smashing operation on the Southeast Side in early 2022. The relocated and rebranded General Iron had hoped to open on East 116th Street along the Calumet River. closed in Lincoln Park after pressure from the city.

In its decision to deny the permit, Lightfoot’s health department cited concerns about the cumulative effects of air pollution from multiple industrial sources.

With the Southeast Side permit denied, Sims was left as the only car shredding facility in the city.

Lightfoot also initially pushed back against a federal civil rights investigation The city’s planning, zoning and land use policies were deemed discriminatory.

On her last day in office, Lightfoot signed a binding agreement with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development promising to change the city’s practices.

Johnson promised to honor the deal and said more than a year ago: vowed to move forward with reformsHowever, little progress has been made.

McNamara and his allies point to the HUD agreement as a reason why Johnson will not proceed with the Sims consent decree.