CHICAGO — Protestors vowing to fight a judge’s order to a controversial metal recycling plant on the Southeast side rallied against the ruling Tuesday.

In 2022, former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration denied a permit application for General Iron, a metal recycling plant on the city’s Southeast side,

General Iron’s parent company, RMG, cleared a major hurdle after an administrative judge ruled in the company’s favor.

“We want equal environmental protection, just like any other neighborhood in the city of Chicago,” Environmentalist Activist Cheryl Johnson said.

Johnson and a coalition of environmental groups, aldermen, state legislators, and concerned Southeast side residents feel that they are in an all-too-familiar position.  

“Sad to say once again, we’re here again fighting General Iron,” Samuel Corona of the Alliance of the Southeast said.

“We should have the equal rights to clean air, clean water, clean land. Just like Lincoln Park.”

The metal recycling facility no longer operates in Lincoln Park and the City of Chicago denied RMG a permit to operate a large recycling facility on the Southeast side.

But last week’s surprise reversal by a Chicago administrative judge prompted a strong reaction from Mayor Brandon Johnson in the following written statement:

“We will immediately appeal the administrative judge’s ruling and continue our fight to uphold our authority under the law to make decisions that protect the environment, health, and quality-of-life for residents of the 10th ward and all environmental justice communities.”

WGN reached out to General Iron’s parent company reserve management group no word yet from company spokes people.