For Immediate Release:

Veterans, Native Americans and Neighbors Join Forces to Stop NorthPoint
Thousands of veterans ask FAA to oppose annexation, protect Abe Lincoln National Cemetery

Presser:

Wednesday August 26th at 11 a.m.
Stone City VFW Post 2199
124 Stone City Drive, Joliet
(Located SW corner Route 53 and Laraway Road)

In an effort to protect Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery (ALNC) from NorthPoint Development’s trucking warehouses and the impact tens of thousands of trucks, their smog and noise will have on our solemn cemetery, thousands of veterans have joined together to ask federal agencies and legislators for protection.

Numerous veterans groups and others are sending a joint letter to the FAA requesting that the agency follow it’s legal obligation of the Section 106 process to determine if any of the 14 notable historical sites within Jackson Township, (including the national cemetery and five other historic veteran cemeteries and a Native American archeological site) are worthy of National Historic Act protection.

The groups that signed the letter:

Joliet Stone City VFW Post 2199; Joliet American Legion Buffalo Soldier Memorial Post 241; Veterans of the Menominee Nation; New Lenox Harry E. Anderson VFW Post 9545; World War II U.S. Army Air Force Veteran B-17 Bomber “Flying Fortress” Radioman Attilio “Ted” Micci of Joliet; WWII U. S. Army Air Force Veteran P-38 Crew Chief Felix Pasteris of Joliet; U.S. Army Air Force Veteran Motor Pool Supervisor Wade Krohn of New Lenox; Stop NorthPoint, LLC, the Village of Elwood; Jackson Township and numerous area veterans’ non-profit groups including Cheers to the Warriors NFP, K9s for Veterans NFP, and Veterans Outreach Services of Illinois NFP.

Jackson Township, Village of Elwood and Manhattan American Legion Post will have members present at the press conference and intend to send similar letters.

Presser Schedule:

  • 10:30 AM: Arrival, set up and social distance staging; Masks required.
  • 10:45 AM: A sage smudging ritual conducted by U.S.M.C. Veteran Michael Pamonicutt of the Menominee Nation. Descendent of an Indian Chief, and Gold Star Family member.
  • 11:00 AM: Begin Press Conference begins with prayer from Bishop Steven Evans, Leap of Faith Ministries, followed by review of maps showing proximity to historical places.

Notable Speakers:

  • Commander Kevin Pomykala, Stone City VFW, U.S. Navy Retired
  • Commander James Shaw, Buffalo Soldier Memorial American Legion, U.S. Army
  • WWII Veteran Felix Pasteris (statement read due to Covid)
  • WWII Veteran Ted Micci (statement read due to Covid)
  • Civil Rights Attorney Bob Fioretti of Stop NorthPoint, LLC

For a complete list of all the veteran, police, fire, school districts, neighborhood associations, municipalities and faith leaders who have expressed opposition to NorthPoint, visit www.StopNorthPoint.com. (here)

Background:

The National Historic Act requires all federal agencies to consider the impact on historic sites, such as ALNC, before taking any actions, decisions or undertakings. Each agency is required to appoint a preservation officer. The review process is referred to as the Section 106 process, because it is set forth in Section 106 of the Act.

On June 10, 2020, the Federal Aviation Administration decided to issue a letter of no contest followed by a letter June 25, 2020 that clarified no contest, no support concerning annexing property into Joliet that is owned by the United States of America (at 22513 Rowell Avenue, in unincorporated Jackson Township, Will County) for the exclusive benefit of the private enterprise, NorthPoint Development. The decision to remain neutral and the action of sending that letter are in effect undertakings that trigger a Section 106 review process.

The 1.44 acres of federal FAA land is critical to the NorthPoint project. Without it being annexed into Joliet, the majority of NorthPoint’s land does not have the necessary contiguity, (land located in succession). By allowing the FAA land to annex into Joliet, the FAA is allowing the desecration of our cemetery and other historic sites, due to semi trucks already getting lost via GPS in the cemetery, and rolling over graves. NorthPoint’s proposed bridge will be adjacent to the cemetery, causing loud trucking traffic and smog.

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Click here for a copy of the letter.

Here is a link to the property on the Tax Assessors Site.

FAA Letters to Joliet

WJOL Coverage

Joliet Herald-News coverage

Livestream of press conference is posted on the Facebook Stop NorthPoint Group page here.


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