The Dallas City Council will vote on Wednesday whether to hire a consultant to research the financial cost of shutting down two controversial factories: GAF in West Dallas and TAMKO in Joppa.<\/p>\n
But forced shut down or relocation could cost the city millions. <\/p>\n
A TAMKO spokesperson said in a statement that a forced shut down could cost the city more than $500 million, according to analysis by commercial real estate firm Nicholas Co.<\/p>\n
TAMKO has been in South Dallas for 40 years. The spokesperson said the company understood air quality concerns and was committed to being a good neighbor and a responsible environmental steward.<\/p>\n
However, the company alleges shutting down the facility would have no measurable improvement to the area’s air quality.<\/p>\n
“Prevailing winds blow toward the north\/northwest (away from Joppa) nearly 90 percent of the time, meaning there is no pathway for TAMKO\u2019s operations to impact the neighborhood,” the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n
Residents in West and South Dallas say otherwise. They have pushed for the closures for more than five years citing air pollution and health concerns.<\/p>\n
Caleb Roberts, Executive Director of Downwinders at Risk, said in a statement that Joppa residents suffer from asthma rates more than double the DFW average, and over a third of the neighborhood is at medium-to-high risk for COPD.<\/p>\n
“For the residents of Joppa\u2014and every community currently battling industrial polluters and incompatible land use\u2014we find TAMKO\u2019s narrative that they have “no impact” on local air quality to be not only false but an insult to those whose health it impacts,” Roberts said in the statement.<\/p>\n
He added that zoning typically prevents heavy industry from being in close proximity to residential neighborhoods, but a history of redlining, segregation, and systemic discrimination in South Dallas allowed companies like TAMKO to become embedded in the Black, Brown, and low-income communities.<\/p>\n
Roberts said TAMKO previously reported its value between $200 million and $300 million \u2014 not the $500 million they now claim.<\/p>\n
In West Dallas, GAF previously told KERA the company plans to close its facility in July 2029. However, city staff confirmed earlier this month that there is no agreement between the city and GAF<\/a> to end its industrial operations.<\/p>\n If City Council approves hiring a consultant, it could cost up to $200,000.<\/p>\n Advocates hope research done by a consultant will lead to the council’s ultimate decision to shut the two facilities down.<\/p>\n “Downwinders at Risk demands an unbiased, transparent process,” Roberts said. “We seek the truth\u2014not just for the sake of the data, but for the health and survival of Joppa and every community across Dallas facing the same fight.”<\/p>\n Got a tip? Email Megan Cardona at\u00a0mcardona@kera.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n