Crafting Impactful Speeches for the TCEQ Public Meeting

Hello Green Air Solutions community,

Today we bring you valuable resources and information to help you in preparing your speeches for the upcoming Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) public meeting regarding the proposed J7 Ready Mix concrete batch plant in our community.

Understanding the Issue:

Concrete batch plants can have significant environmental and health impacts, as discussed by Leighann Hazzard in our recent community meeting. To help you express your concerns effectively, we've compiled a list of resources that Leighann used to reinforce her arguments and provide solid evidence against the establishment of the concrete plant so close to our homes, schools, and businesses.

Resources:

1. Gharpure A, Heim JW II, Vander Wal RL. Characterization and Hazard Identification of Respirable Cement and Concrete Dust from Construction Activities. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(19):10126. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910126

2. Klaassen, C.D. (2008). Casarett & Doull’s Toxicology The Basic Science of Poisons (7th ed.). McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.

3. United States Environmental Protection Agency. (February 2011) 11.12 Concrete Batching. Retrieved November 16, 2023 from 1/final/c11s12.pdf 

4. Levine, B. (Ed.). (2006). Principles of Forensic Toxicology (2nd ed.). AACC Press.

5. Bronte-Moreno, O., González-Barcala, F.-J., Muñoz-Gall, X., Pueyo-Bastida, A., Ramos-Gonzalez, J., & Urrutia-Landa, I. (2023). Impact of Air Pollution on Asthma: A Scoping Review. Open Respiratory Archives. 5(2). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.opresp.2022.100229

6. Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. (n.d.). TCEQ Amendments to the Concrete Batch Plants Air Quality Standard Permit. Retrieved November 16, 2023 from  https://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/permitting/air/NewSourceReview/Mechanical/cbpsp-finalpreamble.pdf 

7. International Agency for Research on Cancer & World Health Organization. (July 27, 2023) IARC Monographs on the Identification of Carcinogenic Hazards to Humans. Retrieved November 25, 2023 from https://monographs.iarc.who.int/agents-classified-by-the-iarc/ 

8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention & The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. (June 21, 2019). Sulfur Dioxide. Retrieved November 16, 2023 from https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/sulfurdioxide/default.html#:~:text=Exposure%20to%20sulfur%20dioxide%20may,from%20exposure%20to%20sulfur%20dioxide 

9. United States Environmental Protection Agency. (February 16, 2023). Sulfur Dioxide Basics. Retrieved November , 2023 from https://www.epa.gov/so2-pollution/sulfur-dioxide-basics 

10. American Lung Association. (October 26, 2023). Sulfur Dioxide. Retrieved November 16, 2023 from https://www.lung.org/clean-air/outdoors/what-makes-air-unhealthy/sulfur-dioxide 

11. United States Environmental Protection Agency. (July 25, 2023). Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) Pollution. Retrieved November 25, 2023 from https://www.epa.gov/no2-pollution/basic-information-about-no2 

12. United States Environmental Protection Agency. (July 13, 2023). Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) Control Regulations. Retrieved November 25, 2023 from https://www3.epa.gov/region1/airquality/nox.html

13. Orellano, P., Reynoso, J., Quaranta, N., Bardach, A., & Ciapponi, A. (2020). Short-term exposure to particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3) and all-cause and cause-specific mortality: Systematic review and meta-analysis.  Environment International. 142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.105876

14. Ajaj, Q.M., Shafri, H.Z.M., Wayayok, A., & Ramli, M.F. (2022). Common Analysis Methods for Gaseous and Solid Contaminants Emitted from Different Pollution Sources: A Review Paper. Pollution Research Paper. 41(2). http://doi.org/10.53550/PR.2022.v41i02.007

15. Ye, S., Li, S., Ma, Y., Wei, L., Zeng, Y., Hu, D., & Xiao, F. (2022). Ambient NO2 exposure induces migraine in rats: Evidence, mechanisms and interventions. Science of the Total Environment. 844. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157102

16. Garg, D., Mehndiratta, M.M., Wasay, M., & Aggarwal, V. (2022). Air Pollution and Headache Disorders. Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology. 25(Supplement 1). DOI: 10.4103/aian.aian_1138_21

17. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (n.d.). Silica, Crystalline. Retrieved November 16, 2023 from https://www.osha.gov/silica-crystalline/health-effects

18. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention & The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. (July 11, 2023). Health Risks of Silica Exposure and Medical Monitoring. Retrieved November 16, 2023 from https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/silica/risks.html

19. United States Environmental Protection Agency. (July 11, 2023). Particulate Matter (PM) Basics. Retrieved November 16, 2023 from https://www.epa.gov/pm-pollution/particulate-matter-pm-basics#PM

20. United States Environmental Protection Agency. (August 23, 2023). Health and Environmental Effects of Particulate Matter (PM). Retrieved November 16, 2023 from https://www.epa.gov/pm-pollution/health-and-environmental-effects-particulate-matter-pm 

21. United States Environmental Protection Agency. (October 22, 2018). The Links Between Air Pollution and Childhood Asthma. Retrieved November 16, 2023 from https://www.epa.gov/sciencematters/links-between-air-pollution-and-childhood-asthma 

22. Achakulwisut, P., Brauer, M., Hystad, P., & Anenberg, S.C., (2019). Global, national, and urban burdens of paediatric asthma incidence attributable to ambient NO2 pollution: estimates from global datasets. The Lancet Planetary Health. 3 (4) e166-e178. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ S2542-5196(19)30046-4

Additional Websites:

• The Links Between Air Pollution and Childhood Asthma

• Air Pollution and Hospitalizations in Chile

See You Soon!

Arming yourself with scientific evidence and well-researched data is crucial when addressing the potential dangers of a concrete batch plant. We encourage you to use these resources to craft compelling speeches that highlight the environmental and health risks associated with the proposed facility. Together, we can make our voices heard!

Thank you for your dedication to the #STOPJ7 cause, and we look forward to seeing you at the TCEQ public meeting.

Sincerely,

Green Air Solutions Team