Residents who live in the Oaks at Hilltop Ranch, west of Mansfield, Texas, have raised concerns about a proposal for a nearby concrete batch plant, says NBCDFW.com.
The report says Bosque Solutions applied for an Air Quality Standard Permit through the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to build the plant.
TCEQ has issued a warning to residents that the proposed facility will emit air contaminants such as aggregate, cement, road dust, and particulate matter.
Andy Nguyen, Tarrant County Commissioner, says he started receiving emails and calls from concerned residents in Kennedale and Mansfield.
According to the report, many neighbours are mainly concerned about air quality.
Neighbour Breanna Clary, says: "I have a 6-year-old and 9-year-old, two boys, healthy, running around, constantly on their bikes… I want my kids to be healthy, and I don't want them breathing in these toxins."
In a report by NBC5, Nguyen, states: "I am concerned with the health and safety of our residents. According to the EPA, concrete batch plants could be a significant source of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and carbon monoxide, which are associated with negative health and environmental impacts…”
Sandye Simpson, a neighbour in the area, says she is concerned about the plant bringing big trucks to their small roads and causing traffic issues.
Nguyen explains he has been working with local elected legislators, senator Konni Burton, and representative Bill Zedler, and they have scheduled a public meeting with TCEQ to discuss the permit.
This meeting is scheduled for 18 October at Red’s Roadhouse on Kennedale Parkway.
Josh Butler, the consultant that prepared the air permit application, discussed these concerns with Bosque Solutions.
“In regards to air quality, when the Air Quality Standard Permit that Bosque Solutions is applying for was developed by the TCEQ, The TCEQ performed computerized air dispersion modelling to show that, when a facility is operated under the standard permit's conditions, emissions from the facility would not result in a violation of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. These standards are put in place by the EPA to protect public health and the environment. Based on this information, along with the information found within the air permit application associated with this facility, the operation of the subject concrete batch plant under the standard permit's conditions would not have a detrimental impact to the air quality in the surrounding areas.”
Bosque Solutions would always emphasise it intends to carefully comply with the environmental controls designed by the State of Texas, Butler adds.
"It plans to be a good neighbour, and it wants to keep open lines of communication between Bosque and its neighbours during this process and in the long term," Butler concludes.
