If you read one thing: Houston community leaders are pushing back against a company's effort to build a concrete crushing plant across the street from Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital, arguing it could endanger patients' health.
Why are people concerned?
In a statement, Dr. Esmaeil Porsa, Harris Health's CEO and president, said the hospital already treats many patients with conditions associated with exposure to pollutants from concrete plants.
"Further contributing to the pollution in the vicinity will exacerbate these conditions," he said. "What is even worse, with the proximity of this proposed plant, is that while a local patient is seeking care and treatment for their condition, they may be exposed to even higher concentrations than while at their own home."
Aren't there restrictions on where concrete plants can be located?
While the TCEQ considers proximity to homes, schools and places of worship in the permitting process, it does not consider proximity to hospitals. Three other concrete batch plants already exist within two miles of the hospital.
Neighborhood leaders say the proposed facility is the latest example of the long-running fight between Houston residents and concrete plants, more than half of which are located in communities of color.
What health effects can concrete plants have on individuals?
Small particles of dust produced by concrete plants can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause coughing, difficulty breathing or potentially worse outcomes for people who are allergic to materials in concrete. The evidence for long-term health effects is limited, but silica dust, for example, has been linked to cancer among workers.
"This is a lot of dust, a lot of noise and truck traffic — things that don't mix well with people who are trying to heal," said Amy Dinn, a litigation director for Lone Star Legal Aid, which represents neighborhood groups challenging the TCEQ's permitting process for concrete plants.
A public meeting is being planned, but TCEQ has not yet scheduled a date.
Read Julian Gill's full story here.
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