Dallas, Texas – The City of Dallas, in a collaborative effort with EPA Region 6, has embarked on an important initiative to assess environmental pollutants in West Dallas. This project, known as the Cumulative Impacts Assessment Pilots Project, is a response to the public health and environmental concerns raised by residents, particularly regarding the operation of Concrete Batch Plants in the area.
The scope of the Cumulative Impacts Assessment Pilots Project is comprehensive. It includes air modeling, water sampling, fish tissue analysis, and soil sampling and analysis. The culmination of these efforts will be a detailed cumulative impact assessment report. This report is critical in understanding the extent of environmental issues faced by the community and in formulating strategies to address them.
Councilmember Omar Narvaez, representing District 6, has been a vocal advocate for this initiative. “I was sent to Dallas City Hall to champion Concrete Batch Plant reform,” he stated. Narvaez emphasized his commitment to collaborating with governmental agencies and local community groups to spearhead these necessary reforms. He expressed his hope that “this pilot project becomes a model for other communities,” underscoring the potential broader impact of this endeavor.
A key aspect of the project is the involvement of local residents and leaders in the decision-making process. The EPA plans to work closely with the community to determine preferred sampling locations and to identify the best ways to keep the public informed about the progress of the project.
The project has been met with gratitude and hope by the residents of West Dallas. Debbie Solis, a local resident, shared her relief and aspirations: “I am grateful for the new Cumulative Impact Assessment Pilot Project coming to West Dallas. With generations of pollution in our neighborhoods of color, I pray the future will bring cleaner air. The time is now to bring justice to West Dallas.”
For more information on this significant environmental initiative, the Cumulative Impacts Assessment Pilot Project fact sheet is available for public view.
