Community Corner
South Dallas asphalt plant is closing, win for the community
In a huge win for the pollution-plagued residents of Joppa, Austin Bridge and Road will permanently close its asphalt batch plant.
Dallas - After nearly a decade and a half of challenges, a Dallas community can breathe easier as a local asphalt plant has agreed to cease operations, Dallas Metro News reported. The resolution came following a cooperative negotiation with city officials.
Austin Industries, the company behind the plant located in the vicinity of the Joppa community, confirmed their cessation of operations slated for June 26th. Furthermore, they committed to decommission the site within the following 120 days.
The residents of Joppa, situated a few miles southeast of downtown Dallas, welcomed the announcement with relief.
Find out what's happening in Dallasfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
"It just brought joy to our ears this morning, to start my day,” said Emmanuel Davis, who has lived in Joppa for the last few years with his five children, as reported by NBC 5. “I was already excited over the top now.”
Joppa, a primarily Black community and historic Freedmen's Town, had been contending with environmental challenges long before the asphalt plant's establishment in 2009. They've been neighbors to a Union Pacific railyard for many years.
Find out what's happening in Dallasfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Health concerns, particularly among young and elderly residents, increased in recent times due to exposure to the plant's operations. Multiple health and environmental studies conducted over the years affirmed the community's anxieties.
Efforts to address this issue saw a range of groups uniting in a shared cause. Their appeals were eventually heeded as the city managed to secure a deal with Austin Industries to shut down the plant, a process triggered by the permit-renewal phase initiated several months ago.
Dallas councilman Adam Bazaldua, representing Joppa's district, played a key role in facilitating the agreement. Over the past 18 months, the city has also earmarked equity funds for infrastructural improvements and home repairs, providing residents with up to $100,000 per household.
The closure of the asphalt plant marks a significant victory for the Joppa community. The role of Dallas City Council and councilman Adam Bazaldua in this endeavor merits sincere recognition and gratitude. Their unwavering support through the lengthy struggle with Austin Industries has brought about this successful resolution.
