The Forgotten Town of Sauget: A Legacy of Pollution and Injustice

Nestled in St. Clair County, Illinois, lies the small village of Sauget—a community founded with a unique mission: to be a dumping ground for industrial waste. Established in 1926 by executives of the Monsanto Chemical Company, Sauget was initially named after its corporate parent but was quickly repurposed into a town dedicated to accommodating industry. With its lax regulations and proximity to major corporations like ExxonMobil and Veolia North America, residents have long felt the impact of living next to powerful industrial giants.

A Community’s Struggle for Breath

With only 134 residents, Sauget isn’t just surrounded by these industries; it has become almost a part of them. The environmental consequences have been severe. Studies conducted over the decades reveal that air quality in the area has declined drastically. Many residents breathe in high levels of hazardous materials such as lead, volatile organic compounds, and sulfur dioxide, all of which pose significant health risks—especially concerning respiratory illnesses and cancer.

The town’s mayor, Rich Sauget, candidly remarked in a Wall Street Journal interview back in 2006 that “We were basically incorporated to be a sewer.” This bleak description sums up the sentiments of many residents who have endured years of neglect, feeling like their health and safety have taken a backseat to corporate profit.

Darnell Tingle, the leader of United Congregations of Metro-East, a collaborative of local faith communities tackling social and environmental justice issues, hasn’t minced words either. “We have some of the worst air quality in the country,” he said. Residents, especially children, pay the price; asthma rates in nearby East St. Louis are significantly higher than the national average.

The Incinerator: A Hidden Danger

Since 1999, the Veolia incinerator in Sauget has been at the center of community concerns. Capable of burning hazardous waste, including substances like PFAS, the facility has become synonymous with distrust. Locals often complain of acrid, sewage-like odors that waft through the air, leaving many wondering what invisible threats are being burned just down the road.

In 2023, to better understand the potential health impacts of the incinerator and other nearby pollutants, UCM proposed an initiative to install air quality monitoring stations at local churches. They hoped to collect data that could either confirm or dispel fears about their environment. With a grant of $500,000 from the Biden administration’s Community Change Grant program, it seemed a glimmer of hope had arrived. But that hope was short-lived.

The Grant That Disappeared

In early 2025, soon after the inauguration of President Trump, the funding was abruptly discontinued. The newly appointed EPA administrator, Lee Zeldin, labeled the grants as “unnecessary” and initiated a freeze on funds that affected not only Sauget but numerous communities across the nation. More than 105 grants totaling $1.6 billion were halted, leaving communities like Sauget floundering without crucial resources.

Tingle’s group managed to install only two air quality monitors before the rug was pulled out from under them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention later conducted a study but couldn’t provide conclusive evidence about air quality — primarily due to insufficient data collection by the EPA. The community was left in a frustrating limbo, grappling with health problems and mounting skepticism about the pollutants in their air.

“Most EPA funding flows through the states, and that is a model that works well,” said Zealan Hoover, a former senior advisor at the EPA. “However, money that flows top down takes longer to reach communities and isn’t always as responsive as grants directed to frontline communities.” In simpler terms, by cutting these grants, the administration not only undermined immediate aid but jeopardized long-term health and environmental assessments.

The National Ripple Effect

Sauget is not the only community feeling the sting of these funding cuts. Across the country, towns are left grappling with similar struggles. In Pocatello, Idaho, neighborhoods without proper sewer systems are facing water contamination challenges. In the South Bronx, a community is at risk of severe flooding due to a defunded revitalization project. Even the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe in South Dakota saw their plans for crucial infrastructure improvements come to an abrupt halt.

Hoover noted, “For many communities, they’ve been going through the stages of grief.” First, disbelief sets in followed by disappointment as communities realize the full impact of losing grant funding that they had been relying on. Plans that once held promise for better health, safety, and infrastructure now languish in uncertainty.

The Fight for Justice Continues

Despite the winding road ahead, groups like United Congregations of Metro-East are not throwing in the towel. Some are hopeful that alternative funding will come through. Others, however, have taken more direct action, including litigation against the EPA in hopes of recovering what was lost.

In Flandreau, while hopes for solar power projects have dimmed, the local organization Native Sun Community Power Development continues to seek out new funding avenues. Though they’ve secured support at a smaller scale, the loss of the federal grant funding hangs like a shadow over their efforts.

“What does this mean for everyday people?” is a question that communities across the nation are left asking. As funding becomes scarcer, the competition for resources intensifies. As Conn, a director with Native Sun, puts it simply, “It’s very stressful… everybody is scrambling for the same pot of money, and there isn’t enough of it.”

Why This Matters

The situation in Sauget acts as a microcosm of a larger, troubling trend affecting marginalized communities. When the voices of frontline communities are sidelined, it’s not just a loss of funding—it’s a loss of a lifeline for health, safety, and hope. What happened in Sauget could very well be a warning cry for other towns facing similar challenges in a rapidly changing political landscape.

Our health often takes precedence over corporate interests, and communities like Sauget remind us of the complexities involved in balancing economic needs with environmental justice. As we forge ahead, it’s vital to keep those affected at the forefront of discussions and decisions. The battle for clean air and safe neighborhoods is not just an aspiration; it’s a necessity for the future.

In the end, Sauget is more than just an overlooked industrial town; it’s a testament to the relentless spirit of its residents who continue to fight for their right to breathe clean air and live without the fear of pollution. It’s a reminder that the fight for justice—be it environmental, social, or economic—is far from over. And it should matter to every one of us.