Neighbors who live in the Oaks at Hilltop Ranch, just west of Mansfield, are worried about plans for a concrete batch plant that could possibly be constructed near their homes.
"You look… we have a very nice, country neighborhood. That's why we all moved out here, and we'd like to keep it that way,” said Sandye Simpson, who lives in the neighborhood.
Less than a mile away, Bosque Solutions LLC has applied for an Air Quality Standard Permit through the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to construct a concrete batch plant.
TCEQ sent out a notice to residents in the area alerting them of the news and adding that the “proposed facility will emit the following air contaminants: particulate matter including (but not limited to) aggregate, cement, road dust, and particulate matter…”
Tarrant County Commissioner Andy Nguyen said he was notified in June of this year about the application to TCEQ for a permit to construct the plant.
Nguyen said shortly after, his office began receiving emails and calls from residents in Kennedale and Mansfield with concerns.
For many neighbors, like Breanna Clary, air quality is the top concern.
"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," Clary said.
Nguyen told NBC 5 in part, "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…”
Simpson said she has more concerns.
"It's also been mentioned that if that goes in it will lower the value of this neighborhood and the individual homes," she said.
Simpson is also concerned about the plant bringing big trucks to their small roads in the area, and causing traffic issues.
Nguyen said that he’s 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.
The meeting is set for October 18th at 7PM at Red’s Roadhouse on Kennedale Parkway.
"We will try to fight it as long as we can, and hopefully it won't go in," said Clancy.
Josh Butler, the consultant that prepared the air permit application, discussed the neighbors’ concerns with Bosque Solutions LLC and provided the following comments…
“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 modeling 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 (NAAQS). 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.”
Butler also added that “Bosque Solutions, LLC would always emphasize that it intends to carefully comply with the environmental controls designed by the State of Texas, that it plans to be a good neighbor, and it wants to keep open lines of communication between Bosque and its neighbors during this process and in the long term.”
