>>> WILL COUNTY IS HOME TO THE LARGEST INLAND PORT TAKING IN PRODUCTS THAT JUST ABOUT ALL OF US DEPEND ON.

SERVING AS A MAJOR LOGISTICS HUB HAS MADE ITS MARK ON THE COMMUNITY.

>>> A MASSIVE NEW DISTRIBUTION CENTER WAS PROPOSED IN THE JULIET AREA AND NEIGHBORS ORGANIZED TO PUSH BACK.

NICK REPORTS ON WHERE THAT PROJECT STANDS AND WHY ITS BACKERS SAY IT'S NECESSARY.

>> Reporter: IF YOU SPEND MUCH TIME ON THE ROAD IN JOLIET AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES THIS IS A FAMILIAR SIGHT.

LONG LINES OF TRUCKS MOVING HUGE LOADS OF CARGO EVERY DAY.

>> INSTEAD OF CARRYING THIS INFRASTRUCTURE AND WATER BURDEN, IT'S ALL COMING TO OUR DOORSTEP.

>> IT'S NOT JUST LARGE STATE ROUTES OR THE EXPRESSWAY.

>> MY STOMACH DROPPED AND I PROBABLY WANTED TO PUKE.

>> KATIE SERVES AS THE JACKSON TOWNSHIP'S CLERK, WHEN SHE SAW THE INITIAL PROPOSAL THE SITE WAS RIGHT NEXT TO HER PARENTS HOUSE.

>> I WOULD ALWAYS TAKE THOSE BACK ROADS AND SEE WHO WAS FARMING ARE DOING WHAT.

THE THOUGHT OF IT ALL BEING WAREHOUSE IS MAKES ME SICK TO MY STOMACH.

>> THEY BEGAN A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING EFFORT CALLING ON THE VILLAGE OF ELLWOOD TO TURN DOWN THE PROJECT.

IN NO SMALL PART BECAUSE THEY SEE ME AND IMPACT OF CENTERPOINT.

>> TO SEE IT CHASE US TO OUR NEW HOME.

ORGANIZERS BLOCKED THE PROJECT IN ITS ORIGINAL FORM BUT IT FOUND ITS HOME ON A SMALLER PLOT OF LAND THAT JOLIET ANNEXED FROM ELLWOOD WHEN A BOUNDARY AGREEMENT AND IT.

>> THEY WERE WORRIED THAT RUNOFF WOULD BE A PROBLEM.

>> OPPONENTS SAY INCREASED TRUCK TRAFFIC SAY MORE WEAR AND TEAR ON ALREADY BUMPY ROADS AND THERE WON'T BE ENOUGH MONEY COMING IN FOR NEEDED REPAIRS TO STREETS AND BRIDGES.

>> THE QUESTION IS ONE OF THE REASONS JOLIET MAYOR HAS BEEN BACKING NORTH POINT.

>> THE INFRASTRUCTURE CURRENTLY WAS NOT BUILT TO HANDLE THIS.

IT'S BEEN REALLY UNDERFUNDED WITH ALL THE COMMERCE AND ALL THE NEW BUSINESS COMING TO THE AREA.

>> NORTH POINT SAID IT PLANS TO USE A CLOSED LOOP OF ROADWAYS TO KEEP TRUCKS OFF LOCAL STREETS WHICH OPPONENTS QUESTION THEIR COMMITMENT TO.

>> THIS IS A CONTROL DEVELOPMENT AND WE ARE TRYING TO PUT SOME ORDER TO WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

>> NORTH POINT OPPONENTS HAVE ALSO CRIED FOUL BECAUSE ODIN KIRK HAS RECEIVED $20,000 FROM DONATIONS.

HE SAYS THERE IS NO ON DUE INFLUENCE.

>> THIS IS PART OF BEING A POLITICIAN.

THIS IS TO SUPPORT THE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ARE SUPPORTING THEM.

>> THE PROJECT HAS ALSO DRAWN THE SUPPORT OF THE LOCAL 150 CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY UNION.

MARK POLIS LEADS THE UNION'S LABOR-MANAGEMENT GROUP.

>> WE SAW DURING COVID THAT WE REALLY WENT INTO A CONSUMER SPENDING WHEN PEOPLE WANTED THINGS AT THEIR FINGERTIPS.

>> NORTH POINT HAS ALSO DONATED MORE THAN $23,000 TO THE UNION'S PACK BUT HE SAYS THEY BACK THE PROJECT BECAUSE IT WILL BE BUILT WITH UNION LABOR.

HE ALSO SAID THE DEVELOPER HAS PLEDGED NOT TO INTERFERE WITH ANY POTENTIAL UNION DRIVE FOR PEOPLE WHO END UP WORKING AT THE HUB.

>> THESE GUYS GAVE A PRESENTATION THAT MADE ASSURANCES , NOT JUST ON THE BUILDING SIDE OF THINGS BUT OPERATIONS.

THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE FAIRLY TREATED.

>> DESPITE THE SMALLER FOOTPRINT OF THE HUB IT'S BEGUN CONSTRUCTION, SOME NEIGHBORS QUESTION WHETHER THE COMPANY HAS AN EYE ON FUTURE EXPANSION.

>> I DON'T BELIEVE THEY HAVE ANY INTENTION OF STOPPING IN THIS SMALL SECTION OF THE CITY THAT THEY OFFICIALLY HAVE APPROVED.

>> FOR DELILAH AND OTHER OPPONENTS, THE FIGHT IS FAR FROM OVER.

>> THEY MAY BE DETERMINED TO BUILD THIS BUT I DON'T THINK IT WILL HAVE HER BE MORE THAN OUR DETERMINATION.

>> FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT, I'M BLUMBERG.

>>> THE PROJECT HAS FACED SEVERAL LEGAL CHALLENGES FROM CENTERPOINT AND FROM THE