HOUSTON — A community meeting about a permit for an asphalt company in the Second Ward became heated on Monday night.
The east Houston residents were angry and didn't want the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to renew the permit. They expressed concern about the emissions being released into their community.
The meeting was called by a state representative and state senator. They wanted to offer residents a chance to have their questions to be heard and answered by TCEQ officials. During the meeting, however, it didn't seem like they were able to answer basic questions about air monitors in the area.
"This area has one of the highest childhood asthma rates ... not just asthma, but ambulance-related asthma," Air Alliance director Leticia Gutierrez said.
Residents were not happy.
"To me, TCEQ has failed people," resident Jose Cazares said.
They voiced their concerns about Texas Materials Group, an asphalt company that's applying for a permit renewal through TCEQ. It's done every 10 years.
The biggest concern for residents is the air quality.
"We call it the dust bowl of Second Ward. Our own dust bowl," resident Jessica Husley said.
In order to renew the application, TCEQ said they use 20-year-old air quality data and try to simulate what it would be through modeling since there are no air quality monitors in the area.
When the officials were asked about the air quality monitors, they weren't able to respond about where they were or what the readings were. When the three representatives from the company were asked about air quality and air monitors, they said they followed TCEQ guidelines.
The information left an impact on the residents in attendance.
"It makes us feel devalued like we are less than because they are not putting these in the outskirts of town. They are not putting them in rural places," resident Kourtney Revels said.
Another issue that was brought up at the meeting was the fact that it was held in a neighborhood miles away from the affected area, which could be viewed as an unfair advantage for a community with a large number of elderly community members. The TCEQ said it was up to the company to pick the location for the meeting.