Featured Citizen Action

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  • Dear Congresswoman Crockett and Congresswoman Omar,

    We hope this message finds you well. We are reaching out on behalf of your constituents living in West Dallas and North Minneapolis, regarding the ongoing environmental justice crisis caused by GAF, a major polluter and asphalt shingle producer located in both communities. Residents in West Dallas led by Singleton United/Unidos and residents in North Minneapolis led by the Bottineau Neighborhood Association have been fighting for years for the relocation of GAF due to the negative impacts the factory has on quality of life and public health. Both communities have conducted exhaustive public health research that illustrates the correlation between pollutants in their communities and negative health outcomes.

    We have connected the dots between our communities and we are asking you both to connect the dots for policy change to address this problem systematically as our representatives in congress. Our coalition of constituents and environmental justice organizations are calling on you both as our representatives, to take action.

    1. Make this a premier issue for your office. Help us publicize these facts about the public health harm and environmental injustices being perpetuated by GAF and their parent company, Standard Industries. Promote these injustices using your social media accounts and newsletters. Take a strong stand for both factories moving out of residential communities.

    2. Hold public meetings and hearings including resident testimony on GAF and the entire asphalt shingle industry including other major producers (TAMKO, Owens Corning) to highlight the lack of 21st century regulations in place for this backwater industry.

    3. Create policy to regulate the citing of new asphalt shingle factories in environmentally burdened communities and a policy to phase out existing asphalt shingle factories in major metropolitan areas that lack modern pollution controls. GAF Minneapolis has been there since the 1930s, and asphalt shingle production has been in West Dallas since the 1930s with GAF assuming operations from Ruberoid in the 1960s. The “best available control technologies” for these industries is “no technology”. The asphalt shingle industry needs oversight and an overhaul.

     

    4. Work with the Environmental Protection Agency to increase oversight and regulations for this backwater industry.

    5. Work with your constituents to close the GAF asphalt shingle factories in Dallas and Minneapolis ASAP.

    In 2024, asphalt is the new lead. It’s time we close these 80-year-old monuments of environmental racism.

    Sincerely,