Featured Citizen Action

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  • Dear Council Member Bazaldua,

    I urge you to call a Plan Commission or City Council vote to require Austin Asphalt to go through a public hearing process for the renewal of its Special Use Permit.

    Austin Asphalt is permitted to release up to 50 tons a year of toxic Particulate Matter air pollution in Joppa. It does so with a 20-year old out-of-date risk assessment plan from the State that's designed for sparsely-populated West Texas, not urban Dallas.

    Across the US and here in Dallas, Black and Brown residents are exposed to more harmful PM Pollution at higher levels than White residents. This inequity is primarily a result of POC neighborhoods being forced to locate next to major polluters like factories and highways. Joppa is a prime example.

    Data from years' worth of independent air monitoring in Joppa shows the neighborhood is getting exposed to more PM pollution than many other parts of Dallas. Past City of Dallas redevelopment plans have called for "de-industrializing Joppa." Requiring Austin Asphalt to go through a public hearing process for its permit could result in its denial and cleaner air in Joppa.

    Please call for a public hearing for Austin Asphalt. Joppa residents deserve clean air.

    Sincerely,