Critics have new complaints about the GAF West Dallas shingle factory that promised to wind down operations and leave the city.
The company denies it, but the critics claim the company failed promises of emission reduction and failed to submit required disclosures to regulators.
In July, GAF announced it would wind down and close the West Dallas shingle plant that operated in that location since 1954.
“They basically said we'll get back with you and the next thing we know there's a series of things that they do that we find out after the fact,” said Raul Reyes, a leader of West Dallas One, a community group opposed to the plant.
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Reyes attended Pinkston High School across Singleton Boulevard from the plant. He practiced for the football team outside as did his son more recently.
“You could pick up the odor, the smell, just the heaviness of the stuff that they were emitting,” Reyes said.
Kathryn Bazan, who now chairs the Dallas Environmental Commission, worked at the state regulatory agency that oversees the plant. She supports the concerns of West Dallas One neighbors.
Bazan said records show GAF is now facing enforcement action for failing to submit proper disclosures. And Bazan said GAF sought to change the permit under which it operates, eliminating some requirements.
“I don’t think that this demonstrates what it was that GAF has promised to the community in the actual reduction of emissions values,” Bazan said.
Through their Dallas Public Relations consultant Allyn Media, GAF issued statements.
Regarding a June 30 enforcement action by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the company said it is related to the late filing of "a standard report."
“It was an administrative error, which we corrected and self-reported. There are no allegations of excess emissions,” the statement said.
The company said a Sept. 1 request to amend a TCEQ operating permit was part of the overall effort to cease operations. It said GAF was granted the change that reduces its sulfur dioxide emission limits by 40%.
“GAF has taken a number of steps including production rate decreases and process improvements at the facility to meet these amended emissions limits. These steps are in addition to the prior decommissioning of one of two production lines,” the company statement said.
The company also said it is taking additional steps to protect the community by seeking a zoning change for the property that would forbid industrial uses after it leaves the site.
GAF has said it will phase down operations by 2027 and leave by 2029.
Bazan said the change in limits does not reduce actual emissions that occur at the plant now.
“With this permit revision, what they've done is reduce the harmful emissions rate which is not the same thing as reducing the actual emissions,” Bazan said.
The former TCEQ employee said GAF is also likely to face punishment from the agency for the failure to provide proper records.
