Seven environmental and public interest organizations sent a February 28th joint letter to Dr. Earthea Nance, Regional Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) Region 6 identifying what they consider “important environmental justice issues that exist in the backyard of EPA’s Region 6 Headquarters” (referencing North Texas).
These seven organizations include:
- Lane Plating Community Advisory Group
- Southern Sector Rising
- Clean up Garland
- Sierra Club Member
- Downwinders at Risk
- Midlothian Breathe
- Liveable Arlington
-
Sierra Club
(collectively “Organizations”)
These are the states that make up EPA Region 6:
- Arkansas
- Louisiana
- New Mexico
- Oklahoma
- Texas
The following issues were identified in Dr. Nance’s February 28th letter
- Assess the environmental and public health risks associated with the Lane Plating Superfund Site
- Conduct a comprehensive evaluation on the former site of ‘Shingle Mountain’ in Dallas;
- To address unregulated and unpermitted polluting sites in and around Garland, convene a taskforce
- Require polluters in the region to comply with EPA’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone pollution;
- Require Vistra’s Martin Lake Power Plant, the worst sulfur dioxide polluter in the country, to install modern pollution controls in compliance with the Clean Air Act;
- Consider how the Clean Air Act could be used to enforce pollution control measures in your neighborhood.
- Focus on community health in Midlothian, the “Cement Capitol of Texas”; and
- Protect children from methane and pollution caused by fracking in Texas communities
These issues should be prioritized. The Organizations request that a document be attached describing their view on possible solutions.
Download a copy of the February 28th letter Here.