Texans affected by pollution from concrete plants push state agency to tighten regulations

A concrete plant in Austin. Residents who live near concrete batch plants complain that they contaminate the air with dust. The residents are pressuring the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to reduce pollution from the plants. (Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune)

ARLINGTON — Deirdre Diamond is frustrated and concerned that another concrete batch plant is coming to her town. Gunter, located about 50 miles north of Dallas, already has 11 permitted concrete batch plants, according to Texans for Responsible Aggregate Mining, and now another one is on the way, worrying residents who say the dust and particulate matter plants release is polluting the air they breathe.

“It’s like a dust cloud constantly,” said Diamond, a 40-year-old respiratory therapist who lives about 5 miles from one of the plants. The mother of six said she started home-schooling her kids because she feared that plants located less than 3 miles from their school would impact their health.