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GOOD EVENING[Environmental Commission on October 9, 2024.]
EVERYONE.TODAY IS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9TH, AND THE TIME IS NOW 5:40 PM I AM CHAIRWOMAN CATHERINE, AND I CALL THIS MEETING OF THE DA ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION TO ORDER.
WE WELCOME YOUR PARTICIPATION IN OUR MEETINGS, IN THE LANGUAGE OF YOUR PREFERENCE.
AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST TRANSLATION OR OTHER ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES TO PARTICIPATE, PLEASE CALL 4 6 9 9 3 4 7 3 8 2 2 DAYS PRIOR TO OUR MEETING.
AN OUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING WILL BE ON NOVEMBER 13TH AT FIVE 30.
ALRIGHT, LET'S BEGIN WITH A FEW ANNOUNCEMENTS THIS EVENING.
I WANT TO OFFICIALLY WELCOME, UH, A FAMILIAR FACE, UH, REBECCA POST AND IS NOW GOING TO BE SERVING AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER FOR, UH, DISTRICT 13.
UH, REBECCA HAS BEEN SERVING AS A MEMBER OF OUR, UH, SUBCOMMITTEE, UH, AND WE WELCOME HER IN THIS NEW CAPACITY.
DFWI WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THIS, THIS IS PEAK, UM, MIGRATION AND THAT, UH, TURNING OFF NON-ESSENTIAL LIGHTS AT YOUR HOME HELPS BIRDS FROM BECOMING DISORIENTED DURING THAT MIGRATION PERIOD, UM, WHICH WILL END ON OCTOBER 29TH.
SO CONTINUE TO KEEP THOSE LIGHTS OUT IN THE EVENING.
UM, MAKING EVERYBODY AWARE THAT THE TCEQ, THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY WILL BE ACCEPTING PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE RENEWAL OF A NEW SOURCE REVIEW, AIR AUTHORIZATION FOR GAF MATERIALS OR BUILDING MATERIALS, UM, INCORPORATED.
AND THAT WILL BE ON OCTOBER 24TH, WHICH I BELIEVE IS A THURSDAY.
THAT DATE IS ALSO THE LAST DATE THAT YOU CAN SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THAT PERMIT RENEWAL.
UM, AND YOU CAN SUBMIT THOSE COMMENTS, UH, ONLINE IN WRITING TO THE TCEQ, OR YOU CAN ATTEND THE PUBLIC MEETING AND, UH, MAKE THOSE COMMENTS.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET TO OUR ROLL CALL.
UM, WE ARE GOING TO START WITH OUR NEW COMMISSIONER.
SO WHEN I CALL YOUR DISTRICT, PLEASE USE YOUR MICROPHONE AND JUST STATE YOUR NAME.
SO IT'S THAT BUTTON RIGHT THERE.
DISTRICT ONE HERE, CATHERINE HELLMAN, DISTRICT TWO, RUNNING A LITTLE BEHIND DISTRICT THREE, DISTRICT FIVE, TRACING WALLACE DISTRICT SIX, ALSO RUNNING A LITTLE BEHIND.
REBECCA POSTON, DISTRICT 14TH HOLIDAY DISTRICT 15.
MS. THOMPSON? I SEE HER THERE.
MS. EVANS? MS. REAGAN? MS. THOMAS? HERE.
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ALL RIGHT.MEMBERS, JUST A REMINDER THAT IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE VIRTUALLY, YOU'LL NEED TO HAVE YOUR CAMERA ON FOR THE DURATION OF THE MEETING.
WE ARE GONNA GET TO OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS THIS EVENING.
WE HAVE ONE REGISTERED SPEAKER.
I'LL RESET OUR SPEAKER GUIDELINES.
SPEAKERS MUST OBSERVE THE SAME, UH, RULES OF TY AND DECORUM, GOOD CONDUCT THAT ARE APPLICABLE TO MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSION.
ANY SPEAKER MAKING PERSONAL AND PERTINENT, PROFANE OR SLANDEROUS REMARKS OF WHO BECOMES BOISTEROUS WHILE ADDRESSING THE COMMISSION WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE MEETING.
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK, AND WHEN YOUR TIME HAS ENDED, PLEASE CONCLUDE YOUR COMMENTS.
FOR THOSE PARTICIPATING VIRTUALLY, YOUR CAMERA MUST BE ON BEFORE YOU SPEAK.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS MR. GREGORY JACKSON.
PLEASE STATE YOUR ADDRESS AND THEN BEGIN YOUR COMMENTS.
HELLO, CITY OF DALLAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
I'M HERE AS A PUBLIC SPEAKER FOR THE FIFTH TIME THIS YEAR, AGAIN, TRYING TO GET A TORMENTING AND DEADLY AIR INTOXICATING PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS ON THE AGENDA FOR A COMMISSION VOTE.
YOU ARE WIDE AWAKE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LATE NIGHT AND CANNOT SLEEP IN THE CHRONIC URINATION DURING THIS SAME TIME WHILE YOU ARE WIDE AWAKE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND CANNOT SLEEP.
THESE ARE SYMPTOMATIC SENSATIONS THAT IDENTIFY THIS DEADLY AND TORMENTING AIR INTOXICATING PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS.
IT IS ALSO YOUR OWN SELF-EVIDENCE AND PROOF OF THIS AIR INTOXICATING CRISIS.
I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT ALL YOU VOTING MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSION ARE SUFFERING FROM THIS LATE NIGHT INSOMNIA, AND ALSO FROM SUFFERING FROM THE LATE NIGHT CHRONIC URINATION, ET CETERA.
IT IS NOT ONLY YOU WHO IS SUFFERING FROM THE LATE NIGHT INSOMNIA AND LATE NIGHT CHRONIC URINATION, ET CETERA.
EVERYONE ELSE IS ALSO SUFFERING FROM IT.
THE ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION THAT IS BEING ABUSED TO INTOXICATED US ALL IS ELECTROMAGNETIC X RADIATION.
THIS X RADIATION, OR X-RAYS BY ITSELF ALONE IS WELL KNOWN TO CAUSE ALL MANNER OF CANCER, ESPECIALLY LEUKEMIA, ET CETERA.
COUNTLESS OTHER DEATHS THAT SAFELY APPEAR FROM NATURAL CAUSE OF SUCH AS STROKES AND HEART ATTACKS AND DIABETES, ET CETERA, ARE BEING INFLICTED BY THIS AIR INTOXICATION CRISIS.
THEREFORE, THIS AIR INTOXICATING PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS SURELY MERITS BEING ON THE AGENDA FOR COMMISSION, VOTE FOR PROPOSED PUBLIC DISCLOSURE RESOLUTION OF THIS AIR INTOXICATING PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS.
THIS COMMISSION, THIS COMMISSION NEEDS TO VOTE TO ADVISE THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE TO MAKE PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF THIS AIR INTOXICATING CRISIS IN A MAJOR INTERNATIONAL NEWS CONFERENCE TO START THE PROCESS FOR THE PERMANENT RESOLUTION OF THIS MANMADE PANDEMIC, ABUSING EXCUSES TO REVIEWS.
PUTTING THIS AIR INTOXICATING PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS ON THE AGENDA FOR COMMISSION VOTE IS GROSS BETRAYAL OF THE PUBLIC TRUST TO SERVE AND PROTECT THE PUBLIC SAFETY VOTING COMMISSION MEMBERS, PLEASE VOTE TO ADVISE MS. KARA MENDELSON, CHAIRWOMAN OF THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, TO MAKE MASS PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF THIS AIR INTOXICATING PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS IN A MAJOR INTERNATIONAL NEWS CONFERENCE.
AND FINALLY, NOW THAT IT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED AS A FACT THAT I AM NOT MAKING A COMPLAINT OF INDOOR AIR QUALITY PROBLEMS, AS MS. BZA HAS CLAIMED, CAN THIS PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA FOR A COMMISSION VOTE? THAT'S MY QUESTION.
I, I, I DON'T LIKE TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE NOT FEELING WELL.
UM, I KNOW THAT THAT IS WHY YOU'RE HERE, AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY CLEARLY IMPORTANT TO YOU.
IT'S, IT'S ALSO VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
UM, WE HAVE HEARD YOUR PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW AND RECEIVED YOUR EMAILS.
UM, AND NOT ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THIS 33 BODY COMMISSION HAS EXPRESSED TO ME THAT THEY ARE EXPERIENCING THE SYMPTOMS THAT YOU ARE DESCRIBING OR BELIEVE THEM TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE PHENOMENON THAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING.
UM, AND EVEN IF THIS, THIS MATTER DID FALL WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THIS ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, WE DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO HOLD A NATIONAL OR INTERNATIONAL PRESS CONFERENCE, NOR DO WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO INSTRUCT THE CITY OF DALLAS OR ANY MEMBER OF THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL TO DO SO.
SO, I WANT TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, THAT I, I KNOW THAT THAT'S WHY YOU'RE HERE.
I, AGAIN, I DO NOT LIKE TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE NOT FEELING WELL.
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VALUABLE, AND I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT YOU UNDERSTAND AGAIN, AND I'M GONNA REITERATE IT AGAIN.THIS ISSUE DOES NOT FALL WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF WHAT THIS COMMISSION HAS BEEN CHARGED TO DISCUSS AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL ON.
SO, AGAIN, UM, ANY MEMBER OF THIS COMMISSION IS FREE TO PROPOSE AGENDA ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION AND OR VOTE BEFORE THE BODY.
AND NOT ONE OF THEM HAS APPROACHED ME IN ALL OF THE TIME THAT WE'VE BEEN BRINGING THIS MATTER TO OUR ATTENTION TO DO SO.
SO, I JUST WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WHILE WE, WE HEAR YOU, AND I'VE, I'VE, I'VE EXPRESSED TO YOU THAT THIS MAY NOT BE WITHIN, WITHIN OUR PURVIEW.
I HAVE PROVIDED A NUMBER OF RESOURCES TO YOU THAT MAY, MAY BE HELPFUL.
AND AGAIN, I'M, I'M SORRY THAT YOU'RE NOT FEELING WELL.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.
WELL, I NEVER SAID I WASN'T FEELING WELL.
YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M FEELING OKAY.
HOWEVER, UH, SELF PRESERVATION IS THE FIRST LAW OF NATURE.
ALL LIVING BEINGS, LIVING FORMS, EVEN VIRUSES, COVID, FLU STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE.
AND I, I WANNA KNOW, I WANT YOU TO KNOW YOUR, YOUR TIME TO COMMENT HAS CONCLUDED, BUT I JUST WANTED TO RESPOND TO YOU AND, AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR, FOR BEING WITH US THIS EVENING.
CAN I ADD ONE MORE SHORT THING? VERY SHORT.
WELL, MY REQUEST WAS NOT FOR THIS COMMISSION TO, UH, SPONSOR, UH, PUBLIC DISCLOSURE IN THE NEWS CONFERENCE.
IT WAS TO ADVISE, I KNOW THIS IS AN ADVISORY PANEL TO ADVISE THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN AT LEAST DO THAT.
IF NOTHING ELSE, ADVISE THEM TO MAKE INQUIRIES INTO THE MATTER IF NOTHING ELSE.
UM, LET'S MOVE ON TO OUR MINUTES FROM OUR PREVIOUS MEETING.
UH, WE, I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAD SUFFICIENT TIME TO REVIEW THOSE MINUTES FROM THE SEPTEMBER 11TH COMMISSION MEETING.
SO I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION TO DEFER, UM, THAT WE'LL CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THOSE MINUTES AT OUR NEXT COMMISSION MEETING.
IS THERE A MO IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? I SECOND.
THE VOTES TO, UM, MOVE THESE MINUTES, DEFER THEM, HAS BEEN APPROVED.
LET'S GET RIGHT ONTO OUR BRIEFING ITEMS. BRIEFING ITEM A IS GOING TO BE, UM, A SUMMARY OF SOME ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS AND HOUSING ISSUES IN THE BACHMAN LAKE COMMUNITY, UH, BY OUR DISTRICT 12 COMMISSIONER, DR. BARRY LACKMAN.
I BECAME INVOLVED IN THIS ISSUE THROUGH MY WORK WITH DALLAS AREA INTERFAITH.
UH, WE WORKED ON GETTING, UH, CHAPTER 27 CHANGED, UH, FROM THE HOUSING CODE A FEW YEARS AGO.
UM, AND WHEN WE LOOK BACK IN THE BACHMAN LAKE COMMUNITY, THE PROBLEMS HAD PERSISTED AND WERE WORSE.
AND WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THROUGHOUT THE CITY IS, UH, WHILE I'M REFLECTING WHAT'S GOING ON IN BACHMAN LAKE, THAT, UH, WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT A CITYWIDE PROBLEM, UH, THAT AFFECTS MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
UH, AND SO I WANTED TO, UH, PRESENT SOME MATERIAL TO YOU.
UH, IS MY, UH, MATERIAL GOING, BUT THEY'RE WORKING ON IT.
LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU'RE READY.
UM, I CAN, UH, SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HISTORY THAT'S NOT IN HERE WHILE WE'RE WAITING.
SO, UH, WHAT STARTED ER INTERFAITH WAS COMPLAINTS FROM TENANTS IN MOLDY FAMILY RESIDENTIAL HOUSING ABOUT THE CONDITIONS THEY WERE EXPERIENCING IN BACHMAN LAKE.
AND THAT LED TO REALIZING THE CITY HOUSING CODE HAD NOT BEEN UPDATED IN 30 YEARS.
AND, UH, WORKING ON SOME CHANGES, WHICH WERE ADOPTED BY A 13 TO ONE VOTE IN THE CITY COUNCIL.
IT'S NOTABLE THAT THE ONE PERSON WHO VOTED AGAINST IT SAID THAT THE CHANGES THAT WERE NEEDED HAD TO BE STRICTER.
SO
BUT THEN WHEN WE WENT BACK TO LOOK A FEW YEARS LATER, UH, REALLY THE, UM, UH, THE, THE THINGS HAD NOT IMPROVED.
AND, UM, A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE DID BEGAN TO CENTER AROUND ONE HOUSING COMPLEX, UH, KENDALL VILLAS.
UM, THE, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, WE SURFACED WAS THE ROLE OF PARTICULATE MATTER.
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I, UH, HOW CLOSE ARE WE?SO, UM, LEMME I'LL START ON SOME OF THIS AND THEN WE CAN SORT OF CATCH UP.
UM, THE FIRST, UH, OUR, MY FIRST SLIDE, WHICH WE'RE NOT ABLE TO SEE, IS, UM, UH, THE ROLE OF PARTICULATE MATTER ON HEALTH OUTCOMES.
I THINK MANY OF US, OF US ARE FAMILIAR WITH THIS, UH, THAT THE PARTICLES, UH, THESE ARE VERY SMALL PARTICLES THAT CAN PENETRATE WAY DOWN INTO THE LUNG AND EVEN GET INTO THE BLOODSTREAM BECAUSE OF THEIR SMALL SIZE AND THE FACT THAT THEY CAN GET DOWN INTO THE ALVEOLI, AND THAT, UM, THEY HAVE A DIRECT EFFECT ON THE LUNGS, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE SYSTEMIC EFFECTS.
SO HERE ARE SOME OF THE SYSTEMIC EFFECTS THAT HAVE BEEN LINKED TO PM 2.5.
UH, PREMATURE DEATH, UH, PEOPLE WITH HEART AND LUNG DISEASE, NON-FATAL HEART ATTACKS, IRREGULAR HEARTBEAT, UH, AGGRAVATIONS OF ASTHMA, DECREASED LUNG FUNCTION, PARTICULARLY IN PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE, RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS, LUNG CANCER, PRETERM BIRTH LATELY, UH, WITHIN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, BREAST CANCER.
AND FINALLY, UM, WITHIN THE LAST THREE MONTHS, GASTROINTESTINAL CANCER.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, ON THE WHOLE, PARTICULATE MATTER IS A PARTICULARLY BAD ACTOR.
UM, HERE ARE SOME DATA THAT WE, UH, THERE'S SOME DATA THAT WE COMPILE, AND ALL THIS WILL BE ON THE POWERPOINT WHEN PEOPLE GET TO SEE IT.
IF WE'VE HAD ALREADY, UM, THERE MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL HOUSING IN DALLAS, UM, IN THE BACHMAN LAKE AREA.
ONE OF THE, UH, DALLAS AREA INTERFAITH ORGANIZERS COMPILED DATA ON, UH, 14 RENTAL PROPERTIES IN BACHMAN LAKE.
12 OF THE 14 WERE OWNED BY GROUPS OUTSIDE DALLAS.
UM, THE RENTS WERE BEING INFLATED, UH, THAT SOURCES THAT AS THE TENANTS.
AND ALSO JOY REED FROM M-S-N-B-C, WHO HAS DONE AN EXPOSE ON RENT FIXING, UH, THAT'S GOING ON NATIONALLY, PROPERTIES NOT BEING MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO THE TENANTS.
AND ACCORDING TO THE DIRECT OBSERVATIONS THAT WE HAVE, UM, THE CITY OF DALLAS CO.
WHEN THE CITY OF DALLAS CODE ENFORCEMENTS INTERVENES, WHAT HAPPENS IS PROPERTIES ARE FLIPPED.
AND SO WE'RE ALWAYS CHASING OUR TAIL BECAUSE WE, WE, WE CAN'T INTERVENE.
UM, THE FLIPPED PROPERTIES AND INFLATED RENTS ARE A NATIONAL ISSUE.
UH, MS. UH, OF JOY REED, ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO, DID AN EXPOSE ON THE READOUT ABOUT THAT.
AND IT'S NOT JUST BACHMAN LAKE.
WE'RE HEARING SIMILAR PROBLEMS IN OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY.
UM, A LITTLE BIT ON ASTHMA, MULTIFAMILY HOUSING.
AND SOME OF THIS IS BASED ON PUBLISHED WORK, SOME OF IT MINE AND DR.
AFA LOBBIES, UH, THAT SHE HAS DONE.
UM, BASICALLY WHAT, UH, I FOUND WHEN I WAS WITH PARKLAND HEALTH BROUGHT, UH, A PLAN WAS THAT MOISTURE FROM LEAKS AND POOR AIR CONDITIONING, UH, FACILITATE, UH, THE GROWTH OF, UH, PARTICULAR ALLERGENS SUCH AS MOLD AND COCKROACH, WHICH ARE THE PREDOMINANT ALLERGENS IN INNER CITY HOUSING THAT AFFECT ASTHMA.
UH, THE LANDLORDS ARE SLOW AND NON-RESPONSIVE IN THESE COMPLEXES TO MAINTENANCE ISSUES, WE HAVE OBJECTIVE EVIDENCES THAT AS WELL AS CONFIRMATION FROM CODE ENFORCEMENT.
UH, THE PARTICULATE IN THE APARTMENT WITH POOR MAINTENANCE ARE HIGHER THAN AMBIENT AIR, EVEN THOUGH AMBIENT AIR EXCEEDS EPA STANDARDS.
WE DID A MEASURE WHEN WE DID A VISIT IN THE BACHMAN LAKE AREA, WHERE DR.
LAVER, LARRY FROM UT, UH, UTD PHYSICS DEPARTMENT, SENT THREE OF HIS STAFF WITH, UH, LAPTOPS AND HANDHELD SENSORS.
AND IN EVERY ROOM THAT WE WENT INTO, THE, UM, UH, PARTICULATE MATTER, UH, EXCEEDED THE EPA STANDARD, UH, BY TWO TO 15 TIMES.
AND IN EVERY CASE, IT WAS GREATER THAN, UH, THE, UH, PARTICULATES IN THE AMBIENT AIR THAT WE MEASURED OUTSIDE THE SAME HOUSING COMPLEXES.
UM, THE CONDITIONS IN THESE MULTIFAMILY COMPLEXES ARE A PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY HAZARD, AS WELL AS A THREAT ON MANY LEVELS FOR THOSE LIVING IN DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS.
SO WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS NOT JUST THESE CONDITIONS THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
UM, THERE WAS A SWIMMING POOL, WHICH WAS NOT DRAINED FOR MONTH FOR MONTHS.
IT'S, THAT'S YOUR NEXT WEST NILE EPIDEMIC WAITING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE THERE WERE STANDING WATER IN IT.
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DRAINED AFTER LOTS AND LOTS OF PRESSURE FROM DALLAS AREA INTERFAITH AND FROM, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT.UM, IN THESE COMPLEXES, THE, THERE ARE GATES, BUT THE GATES ARE NOT WORKING.
SO ANYBODY CAN COME IN AND THE HOMELESS COME IN.
WE, THERE ARE FILMED EPISODES OF PEOPLE DOING DRUGS AND HAVING SEX, UH, WHO COME IN FROM THE OUTSIDE.
AND WE, UH, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF VEHICLES DOING, AND THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL ARMED ROBBERIES.
SO WE HAVE A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL.
UM, THE EXPOSURE TO CHILDREN, THESE CONDITIONS HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED BY THE PARKLAND MEDICAL DIRECTOR, FORMER MEDICAL DIRECTOR, AS POSING A HEALTH RISK TO CHILDREN.
THAT'S ME
WE MEASURED, I HAVE ALLUDED THIS BEFORE WE MEASURE THESE, UM, CAN WE, UM, GO TO, UH, SLIDE NUMBER FIVE.
WE'LL GO THROUGH THE REST OF 'EM, GO THROUGH THE REST OF THEM FAIRLY QUICKLY, AND SOMEBODY WHO, WHO CAN SWITCH THEM.
AND PERHAPS PRESENTATION MODE MIGHT MAKE IT FIVE.
UH, I DON'T HAVE THE CONTROL TO DO IT.
I'LL, I'LL KEEP GOING WHILE SHE'S DOING THAT.
SO, UH, AS I STATED, WE MEASURE THE, UM, UH, UH, HAD DR.
LARRY IN HIS TEAM MEASURE THE PARTICULATES, UH, AND, UM, THE SMALLER PARTICULATES IN THE PM 2.5 RANGE, UH, DO POSE THE GREATEST HEALTH CASE.
SO THIS ONE, NUMBER SIX, IF WE CAN GET TO IT.
THIS ONE I ONLY LIKED SHOW, BY THE WAY.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID IS THERE WAS THE, UM, ABOUT FOUR WEEKS AGO, I THINK IT WAS NOW, THE LEAD ARTICLE IN THE OP-ED SECTION OF DALLAS MORNING NEWS READ, WHY CAN'T DALLAS PROTECT TENANTS? AND IT WAS A FULL TWO PAGE ARTICLE.
THERE WERE ABOUT, UH, 10 PICTURES ON THE COVER.
FIVE OF THOSE WERE ONES I HAD TAKEN IN THE COMPLEX.
AND ON THE SECOND PAGE, THERE WAS A PICTURE OF ME STANDING IN ONE OF THE ROOMS WITH A COLLAPSED CEILING.
YOU CAN SEE COLLAPSED CEILING ON THE RIGHT THERE.
YOU CAN SEE MOLD THERE, UH, ON THE, UM, UH, ON, ON PAINTED OVER, WHICH IS ONE OF THE COMMON TACTICS.
YOU DON'T FIX THE MOLD, YOU JUST PAINT OVER IT.
AND UNDER THE SINK YOU CAN SEE MOLD IN THIS PICTURE.
UM, AND, UM, THERE'S THE SWIMMING POOL.
UH, AND YOU CAN SEE STANDING WATER GREEN.
THAT'S NOT THE CHEMICALS, THAT'S THE GREEN FROM THE ALGAE, UH, IN, UM, AND, UM, UH, THE LAST PICTURE IS A SINK THAT HAD, WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE SEWAGE.
AND THESE CONDITIONS HAVE TAKEN MONTHS TO BE FIXED, UH, BY THE, BY THE LANDLORD.
UH, IT'S A REALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION.
UM, NOW, UM, I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, UH, KENDALL VILLAS AND RETALIATION AGAINST TENANTS.
UM, A WOMAN, UH, YASBETH, UM, SANCHEZ IS THE, UM, HAS BEEN THE LEADER OF THE TENANT GROUP.
UM, HER LEASE WAS UP FOR RENEWAL.
UH, AND, UM, UH, UH, SHE, UH, SHE APPLIED TO HAVE HER LEASE RENEWED AND, UH, HER, UM, UM, AND, AND THEN GOT NOTICE 48 HOURS, UH, THROUGH THE LA UH, THROUGH THE MANAGER OF THE COMPLEX THAT HER LEASE WAS NOT BEING RENEWED.
UH, WHEN SHE WENT TO TALK WITH THE MANAGER, UH, SHE RECORDED THE SESSION IN WHICH THE MANAGER TOLD HER THAT THIS WAS HER FAULT FOR COMPLAINING TO THE CITY.
AND THAT, UM, UH, AND, AND THE PROBLEM THAT WE RAN INTO, AND THIS WILL PROBABLY TAKE IF WE'RE GOING TO FIX IT, A CODE CHANGE WAS THAT THE, UM, THE EVICTION, UH, THE, THE, UH, THE STATUTE, UH, THAT WE HAVE IN CHAPTER 27 DOES NOT MENTION LEASE NON-RENEWAL AS A POSSIBLE SUBJECT FOR, SO OUR INITIAL RESPONSE FROM CODE ENFORCEMENT, THE INITIAL RESPONSE WAS, IT DOESN'T MEET THE STANDARDS.
SO WE'RE NOT TAKING IT AFTER MEETING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WHICH GOT PRETTY CONTENTIOUS, UH, I GET A LITTLE HOT UNDER THE COLUMN AS A MATTER OF FACT.
AND, UM, THE, UM, UH, THEY AGREED TO LISTEN TO THE TAPE AND TO GO BACK.
AND THE CITY FILE HAS FILED A RETALIATION
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COMPLAINT.UH, CITY ATTORNEY HAS FILED, UH, AS FAR AS THE, UM, EVICTION, WHICH WAS SCHEDULED TO BE AUGUST 31ST, THE END OF HER LEASE.
UM, WE, UM, UH, THE, UH, EVICTION CENTER, THE DALLAS CENTER EVICTION CENTER TOOK ON JA YASBETH CASE, GOT A, UM, UH, A RESTRAINING ORDER.
AND AS OF THIS MORNING, UH, THE PARTIES HAVE AGREED IN THIS, UH, HAVE AGREED RESTRAINING ORDER WILL STAY IN PLACE UNTIL, UH, APRIL OF NEXT YEAR.
THERE WILL BE A TRIAL SCHEDULED ON THE QUESTION OF WHETHER, UM, UH, WHETHER THE LANDLORD CAN TERMINATE HER LEASE OR NOT.
BUT I THINK A BIGGER ISSUE FOR US IS THE QUESTION OF, UM, UM, IS THE QUESTION OF WHAT WE NEED, WHAT THE CITY NEEDS TO DO TO PROTECT AND IT'S, AND HEALTH WISE, AND TO PROTECT PEOPLE WHO LEGITIMATELY COMPLAIN.
I THINK BOTH OF, IN MY VIEW, BOTH OF THOSE ARE ISSUES.
I AM NOT A LAWYER, AND SO PLEASE TAKE THIS BY THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE A NON-LAWYER SAYING IT.
BUT I THINK THAT THERE ARE CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS HERE, WHICH NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
AND IN PARTICULAR, I'M INTERESTED IN THE, UM, EFFECT ON CHILDREN.
WE DO HAVE ONE TENANT WHERE WHEN WE VISITED, THE MOTHER SHOWED US A PA A LETTER FROM HER DOCTOR SAYING THE CHILD'S RESPIRATORY CONDITION WAS DIRECTLY CAUSED BY THE CONDITIONS IN THE APARTMENT, WHICH THE LANDLORD, IN SPITE OF TWO COMPLAINTS FILED, HAD NOT FIXED IN 60 DAYS.
AND, UH, UH, THAT FAMILY EVENTUALLY, UH, IN RETALIATION FOR HER COMPLAINT, THEY ARBITRARILY RAISED HER RENT AND MAY HAVE MOVED OUT, AND ANOTHER TENANT WAS ALSO HARASSED INTO MOVING OUT.
SO THIS PATTERN OF, UM, HARASSING PEOPLE WHO RAISE A STAND IS, AND NOW WE HAVE TENANTS WHO ARE AFRAID TO COMPLAIN BECAUSE OF THAT.
UM, UH, I IDENTIFIED FROM THE VARIOUS MEETINGS THAT WE HAD WITH CITY ATTORNEY CODED FORTUNE, ET CETERA, ROUND.
THAT'S A SERIES OF 25 CHANGES THAT I THOUGHT WE NEEDED, AND OTHERS HAVE NOTED IT.
UM, DALLAS AREA, INTERFAITH AS A POSITION PAPER WE'VE DEVELOPED THAT DETAILS SOME OF THOSE CHANGES.
I THINK THERE ARE, MY OWN VIEW IS, IS THAT THERE ARE SOME CHANGES WHICH ARE NEEDED, WHICH ARE FAIRLY SIMPLE.
THEY'RE SIMPLE CHANGES IN PROCEDURE.
WE'VE SEEN ALIGNED IN THE PROCEDURE AND FRAME YOUR STAFF.
SOME OF THEM ARE MORE DIRECTLY RELATED TO MORE BIGGER CHANGES THAT ARE NEEDED IN THE PUBLISHED, UM, UH, GUIDELINES, UH, AS AN EXAMPLE, THE, UM, THE DOCUMENT, WHICH IS USED TO DETERMINE THE SCORE IN MY VIEW AND OTHERS WHO THAT IS TOTALLY INADEQUATE.
UM, YOU CAN HAVE A TOTALLY LIFE-THREATENING CONDITION AND PASS, I THINK WITH A 70.
UM, UH, BE BECAUSE YOU'VE PASSED EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO THERE ARE NOTHING IN THERE THAT'S AN ABSOLUTE FAIL.
OKAY? THE SECOND THING IS, IS THAT THE SCORING IS DEFECTIVE.
IT DOESN'T ADEQUATELY EMPHASIZE THOSE THINGS, WHICH ARE REALLY HARMFUL.
UH, SO THAT NEEDS, THAT NEEDS A MAJOR UPGRADE, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY A LOT MORE WORK.
AND THEN THE THIRD THING IS THOSE THINGS SUCH AS, UM, ANOTHER THING THAT WE UNCOVERED BY THE WAY, IS THAT YOU ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE AN INSPECTION EVERY THREE YEARS WHILE YOU OWN THE PROPERTY.
BUT YOU CAN TRANSFER A PROPERTY IN THE CITY OF DALLAS WITH NO INSPECTION.
UM, UH, UH, UM, UH, UM, COMMISSIONER ROBERSON AND, UH, DR.
AFA LOBBY WERE ALSO THERE WHEN WE DID THE, UM, WHEN WE DID THE TOUR, UH, THAT WE DID WITH DALLAS AREA INTERFAITH.
AND I INVITE THEM TO, UH, MAKE ANY COMMENTS.
I'M DONE WITH MINE, AND I'M OPEN TO QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE.
SO THANK, THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR.
LACKMAN AND TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE FOR WORKING ON THIS TOPIC.
UM, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, CHAIR WALLACE, MY CONCERN, AND MS. BEVIN MIGHT BE ABLE TO ANSWER THIS, IS THAT THE STATE COULD PREEMPT ANY OF THESE CHANGES FOR THE BETTER.
THE, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHETHER THE STATE PREEMPTS THEM AND, UM, BECAUSE OF THE HEALTH RISKS THAT ARE IMPLIED, WHETHER THERE, UM, AT THE EPA LEVEL, WHETHER THERE ARE ANY,
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UH, FEDERAL CHALLENGES THAT CAN BE MADE TO, UM, THE, THE, UM, THE STANDARDS.BY THE WAY, ONE OF THE CLOSEST THINGS I CAN THINK OF TO, UM, AND I'VE MADE THIS COMMENT TO PEOPLE TO, UM, PM 2.5, IS THE PROBLEM THAT WAS PREEMINENT WHEN I WAS YOUNGER IN MY CAREER WITH LEAD PAINT ON WALLS.
AND, UH, MY OBSERVATION, I MEAN, I WORKED ON THIS IN PHILADELPHIA, SUED THE STATE IN ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, AND WON, UM, DEALT WITH IT IN MILWAUKEE.
SO THROUGHOUT PLACES I WENT IN MY CAREER, I DEALT WITH LEAD.
AND FINALLY, WHEN I WAS IN MILWAUKEE, THE PROBLEM GOT SOLVED, AND THE PROBLEM DID NOT GET SOLVED BY ANYTHING WE DID ON THE LEGISLATIVE OR ENFORCEMENT SIDE.
IT GOT SOLVED BECAUSE A PRODUCT LIABILITY LAWYER IN CHICAGO SUED SEVERAL LANDLORDS FOR THE DAMAGE DONE TO THE CHILDREN, ONE MULTIMILLION DOLLAR LAWSUITS.
AND WHAT WE EXPERIENCED WAS EVERY SLUM LORD IN THE COUNTRY RAISING THEIR HANDS AND SAYING, DO MY PROPERTY FIRST.
IT MAY TAKE THAT IN ORDER TO DO IT, WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS OUTSIDE THE PURVIEW OF ANY STATE LIMITATIONS.
UH, I, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, THIS IS AN ACTION THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN DANGER HERE.
AND, UM, THE ACTIONS OF THESE LANDLORDS, UM, AT BEST IS IRRESPONSIBLE.
SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY REAL QUICKLY, LEE, IT, IT, I THINK IT'S HARD.
IT, IT IS THE PURVIEW I THINK OF THIS COMMITTEE.
UM, AND, UM, THE INDOOR, UH, AIR POLLUTION, UM, MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
AND THESE INDOOR CONDITIONS MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH ESP WITH RESPIRATORY DISEASE, AT LEAST PEDIATRIC RESPIRATORY DISEASE.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE ACTUALLY PROGRAMS IN OTHER CITIES THAT I'M, I'M WORKING ON, UM, THAT, UH, ACTUALLY DO HOME REMEDIATION TO MAKE THINGS BETTER.
AND THEY DO HOME REMEDIATION KIND OF ON THESE SMALLER SCALES.
BUT THERE, THERE'S ALSO BEEN LOTS OF RESEARCH THAT'S LOOKED AT CITIES THAT HAVE HAD, UM, POOR, UM, INDOOR, UH, AIR QUALITY, UM, IN THE, IN THEIR APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND SEEING SUCH, UH, A PREVALENCE OF ASTHMA IN THESE, UM, APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT COULD BE LINKED DIRECTLY TO THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT THEY, THEY'VE ACTUALLY IN OTHER CITIES, NOT IN DALLAS, THEY'VE ACTUALLY SET, SHUT DOWN THOSE APARTMENT COMPLEXES, WHICH BRINGS UP ITS OWN ISSUES, RIGHT? WHERE ARE THEY GONNA GO AND WHAT, AND WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
SO I THINK IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
I THINK, UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I, I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO OR WHO TO GET TO ADDRESS THIS, BUT IT, IT'S DEFINITELY A CONSIDERABLE CONCERN, UM, FOR A BIG POPULATION OF PEOPLE.
AND I'LL, AND I'LL BE QUITE HONEST, A LOT OF THESE FOLKS ARE, ARE, THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY, THEY DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES, AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE PROTECTION, RIGHT? UM, FOR, TO, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH LEGAL PROTECTIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEY GET RETALIATED AGAINST IN A REALLY, REALLY IMPACTFUL WAY, AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE EDUCATION RIGHT TO, UM, THAT THIS ISN'T, UM, THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
SO I WOULD, I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO PARTICIPATE IF THEY HAVE ANY IDEAS, IF THEY HAVE ANYTHING THEY WANT TO DO, UM, ESPECIALLY FROM LIKE A HOUSING ZONING KIND OF STANDPOINT TOO.
UM, YEAH, THAT'S ALL I GOTTA SAY.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY ONE, UM, COMMUNITY ACTIVE PERSON WHO'S INVOLVED IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, THAT HE HAS A TEAM OF LAWYERS AND, UM, UH, OF LAWYERS AND REPAIR PEOPLE.
AND THEY HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL, I BELIEVE, IN SOUTH DALLAS IN GOING TO COURT AND GETTING PROPERTIES PLACED IN RECEIVERSHIP.
THEY PICK UP, THEY, AND WE DO HAVE A NUISANCE STATUTE HERE.
UM, THE CITY SAYS THEY'VE BEEN VERY UNSUCCESSFUL, UNFORTUNATELY, AT GETTING THAT DONE WHEN WE MET WITH THE CITY'S ATTORNEY AND, UH, COMMUNITY PROSECUTION.
UM, BUT, UM, THEY FIX 'EM UP AND OFFER THEM BACK TO THE LANDLORDS.
AND OF COURSE, THE LANDLORDS NEVER WANNA PAY THE PRICE TO GET THEM BACK.
CHAIR ROBERTSON, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT ECHOING WHAT DR.
ALABI SAID, AND IN ADDITION WHEN I DID, WAS ON THE WALKTHROUGH, JUST THE STARK, YOU JUST HAVE NEEDED TO BE THERE.
WE OPENED ONE DOOR THAT WAS SUPPOSEDLY INTO ANOTHER BEDROOM, IF YOU REMEMBER.
AND YOU KNOW HOW WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING A HOUSE AND YOU HAVE THE FRAMEWORK THERE, WHEN I OPEN THAT DOOR, THAT'S WHAT'S THERE IS THE FRAMEWORK, THE CEILING, THE SHEET
[00:35:01]
ROCK HAD GOTTEN WET SOME KIND OF WAY AND WAS ALL ON THE FLOOR.AND THIS PARTICULAR ROOM WAS OPEN TO AIR.
UH, I MEAN, IT WAS, IT WAS LIKE YOU'RE BUILDING A OUTDOOR PATIO, AND THAT WAS THEIR BEDROOM.
A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THOUGH, ARE, I WAS AFRAID OF THE RETALIATION FOR THEM, BUT YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, FIGHT FOR THEM.
AND A LOT OF THEM WERE NOT ENGLISH SPEAKING.
SO THAT LEADS YOU DOWN, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER PATH WHICH MAKES, UM, MAKES THEM BACK DOWN, YOU KNOW, FROM COMPLAINING.
AND THE ONES THAT COMPLAINED, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW.
SO NOW EVERYBODY'S SCARED, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO RAISE THE RENT.
AND AS I REMEMBER, AND YOU CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THESE PEOPLE WERE PAYING LIKE, WHAT, 1200? YEP.
THEY PAID $12 MAYBE, RIGHT? THEY, THEY'RE PAYING, THESE WERE NOT, YOU KNOW, GHETTO WHATEVER RATES THEY WERE PAYING 1200 A MONTH, SOME OF THEM.
UM, THE, THE, UM, UH, ON THE LANGUAGE ISSUE, WHEN, UM, WE FIRST STARTED INTERACTING ABOUT A YEAR OR SO AGO WITH, UH, CODE ENFORCEMENT, WE WERE TOLD THAT THEY WOULD, AND THEY HAVE, UM, INTERVENE, UM, IF WITH CALLS THROUGH 3 1 1, UH, HOWEVER, 3 1 1 WAS NOT AVAILABLE IN SPANISH AT THE TIME.
UH, IN THE FALL, UH, ABOUT, UH, IN THE FALL AFTER WE STARTED 3 1 1 DID BECOME AVAILABLE IN SPANISH.
UM, BUT, UM, BUT, BUT, UH, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE RAN INTO WITH YASBETH WAS THAT, UM, UH, ONE OF THE, THE, THE, UH, MANAGER LET SLIP WHEN THEY WERE INTERVIEWING THAT HE HAD FOUND OUT ABOUT THE THREE ONE THAT HER AS THE 3 1 1 SOURCE FROM, UM, CITY EMPLOYEE.
SO I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS, AND MAYBE THIS IS, THIS IS BETTER FOR STAFF AND WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON THIS, BUT DO WE HAVE A MOLD REMEDIATION PROGRAM EITHER THROUGH, UH, OUR WATER UTILITIES, UM, OR IS THERE SOME EDUCATIONAL ASPECT? DO WE MAIL ANYTHING TO RESIDENTS ABOUT MOLD AND HOW TO SPOT MOLD AND THE DANGERS OF MOLD AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS? DO WE, DO WE KNOW IF WE DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT? I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, ONE OF THE SHORTCOMINGS THAT WE IDENTIFIED WAS, UH, THAT MOLD IS NOT SPECIFICALLY, UH, LAID OUT EITHER IN THE TRAINING DOCUMENTS THAT THE CITY HAS THAT WE WERE TOLD.
AND IT'S NOT SPECI, UM, ALTHOUGH IT'S MENTIONED IN THE STATUTE, THERE'S NOT MUCH ON IT.
YEAH, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
WE HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL RISK PROGRAM IN WHICH WE, UH, EVALUATE PROPERTIES THAT ARE THE CITY IS, IS PURCHASING FROM MODE, ASBESTOS LED ENVIRONMENTAL RISK, UM, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SITE ASSESSMENTS.
UH, BUT FOR LIKE A, YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT A PUBLIC MODE PROGRAM THAT MAY BE THROUGH THE COUNTY, OR, BUT WE COULD FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON THAT.
AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION, AND, AND DO NOT MISTAKE THIS FOR SYMPATHY FOR ANY KIND OF LANDLORD THAT'S SHIRKING THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES FROM BEING A, A GOOD, UM, LANDLORD, BUT DO WE OFFER, DO WE HAVE AN, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF FUNDING FROM THE CITY FOR LEAD ABATEMENT.
DO WE HAVE A RESOURCE FOR LANDLORDS? WE TRULY WANNA BRING THEIR PROPERTIES INTO COMPLIANCE AS FAR AS LIKE WATER LEAKS OR JUST INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES, ROOF REPAIRS? MM-HMM.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FUNDING, UM, FOR SITE REMEDIATIONS, BROWN FIELDS.
UH, BUT AS FAR AS LIKE PROPERTY, UH, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE A GREAT QUESTION FOR HOUSING.
IT'S INTERESTING THAT WHEN WE DID THE CHANGES ON CHAPTER 27, 2017, SO IT'S SEVEN YEARS AGO NOW, UM, THE, UM, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HELPED US GET THAT UNANIMOUS VOTE WAS THAT THE LANDLORDS ASSOCIATION, THE DALLAS, WHAT, I FORGET WHAT THEY CALL THEMSELVES, BUT THEY, UM, SUPPORTED THE CHANGES.
AND THEIR COMMENT TO US WAS THAT THE SLUM LORDS MAKE THEM LOOK BAD.
AND, AND, UM, WE'VE TALKED WITH THEM ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT THERE ARE LANDLORDS AND SOME OF THE ONES LIKE
[00:40:01]
THESE GUYS WHO DON'T SEEM TO CARE, UH, LIKE KENDALL VILLAS, BUT THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY ONES WHO HAVE SMALLER PROPERTIES WHO WOULD COME INTO COMPLIANCE IF THEY HAD THE RESOURCES TO DO THAT.BUT THE OTHER THING WE HAVE TO WATCH FOR IN DOING THAT, BECAUSE OF OUR SHRINKING, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND MANY OF US HAVE SEEN THE ARTICLES OVER THE LAST IN PUBLIC MEDIA, NATIONALLY AND LOCALLY ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE'VE GOTTA FIX THESE PROPERTIES AND SOMEHOW PROTECT THE, UM, THE, THE RENTS SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY, I MEAN, I'VE GONE THROUGH A LONG HISTORY OF WORKING IN INNER CITIES AND, UH, GENTRIFICATION, UM, IT JUST MOVES THAT COMMUNITY THAT'S DISPLACED INTO ANOTHER COMMUNITY WHERE THEY SUFFER THE SAME SITUATION.
WE NEED TO GUARD AGAINST THAT.
WE'RE GONNA GO TO MS. MIA AND THEN TO MR. HOFFMAN, AND THEN TO DR.
SO ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT COIN, I KNOW THAT, UM, YOU SAID THAT AS A LANDLORD ARE, YOU KNOW, GET THESE INFRACTIONS AND GET, YOU KNOW, AND THEY BECOME LIKE HABITUAL, HABITUAL ZONING INFRACTIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WHAT SEEMS TO BE ANY ACCOUNTABILITY AT ALL? LIKE, WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS LAND LANDLORD THAT WAS TAPED SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, SHE WAS, SHE WAS GOING TO, UM, RETALIATE AGAINST HER TENANT.
SO, IS THERE, IS THERE ANYTHING ON THAT SIDE OF IT THAT, THAT IS ACTUALLY BEING DONE? IS THERE A POLICY, A LAW, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT CAN BE ADVOCATED FOR, TO HELP STOP THIS SITUATION? I DON'T THINK SPECIFICALLY THAT I KNOW OF ON THAT FRONT, UM, UH, DR.
OFF LOBBY MAY KNOW OF SOME NATIONALLY, BUT, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS IS, UH, YOU READ THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, YOU KNOW, THAT, UM, THE, UH, FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION HAS RECENTLY BROUGHT A COMPLAINT AGAINST, UH, AN ASSOCIATION THAT HELPS THE, UH, AN ORGANIZATION HEADQUARTERED HERE IN DALLAS.
I BELIEVE THAT, UM, HELPS LANDLORDS FIX THE PRICES.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, DR.
I APPRECIATE YOU SHARING, UH, THE INFORMATION.
I, I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH, UH, VARIOUS ASPECTS OF, UH, RENTAL COMMUNITIES IN THE DA, UH, DALLAS.
I USED TO DO PROPERTY MANAGEMENT.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S REALLY DISHEARTENING TO HEAR THE CONTINUAL, UH, EXISTENCE OF THE BAD PLAYERS IN THE MARKETPLACE.
UH, I, I, I, I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND, UH, THE LEVERAGE THAT CODE COMPLIANCE HAS WITH REGARD TO THESE.
AND, AND I THINK THAT YOU'LL FIND THAT THE, THE OPERATORS THAT WANT TO FIX PROBLEMS THAT AREN'T AWARE OF THEM, FOR INSTANCE, MANY TIMES, I, I'VE MANAGED, I MANAGED UP TO 250 UNITS AT ONE TIME AMONGST VARIOUS PROPERTIES.
AND I, I NOTICED THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT WERE AFRAID TO TELL YOU THERE WAS A PROBLEM IN THEIR APARTMENT TOO, BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT THE RENT TO GO UP.
THEY DIDN'T WANT THINGS TO BE, YOU KNOW, ADVERSELY PERCEIVED BY THE LANDLORD.
AND THAT REALLY WASN'T, YOU KNOW, THAT WASN'T NECESSARILY THE CASE.
BUT IN, IN, IN SOME, IN THIS CASE, THIS PLAYER THAT YOU'RE IDENTIFIED, IT'S CLEARLY THE CASE THAT, UH, THEY'RE NOT, THERE'S RETRIBUTION ROLE.
UH, I THINK CODE COMPLIANCE IS REALLY ONE OF OUR KEY THINGS.
BUT, UH, ACTUALLY RITA COULD HELP ME WITH THIS QUESTION.
ONE OF THE ISSUES WITH REGARD TO MOLD IS THAT MOST OF THE INSURERS HAVE CARVED OUT MOLD FROM ALL THEIR POLICIES FOR, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING MOISTURE ISSUES AND MOLD.
UH, AND THAT'S REALLY BEEN DONE AT THE STATE INSURANCE BOARD LEVEL.
AND SO, UH, I'VE GOT A FEW PERSONAL GRIPES WITH REGARD TO THE STATE INSURANCE BOARD LEVEL AND WHAT'S GOING ON WITH REGARD TO PROPERTIES.
BUT RITA, ARE THERE ANY THINGS THAT CAN BE REALLY ADDRESSED, LOBBYING THE STATE INSURANCE BOARD TO REALLY DEAL WITH, YOU KNOW, MOLD REMEDIATION, ESPECIALLY FOR PROPERTY OWNERS? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S LEGAL FOR THEM TO CARVE ALL THESE COVERAGES OUT FOR, FOR PROPERTY OWNERS.
UM, ALAN AND RI CAN'T REALLY SAY THAT INSURANCE IS MY CORNER OF THE WORLD.
UM, I WILL TELL YOU, THERE WAS AN INTERIM HEARING ON INSURANCE IN THE LAST MM-HMM,
[00:45:02]
NOTHING CLOSE TO THIS WAS ADDRESSED.UM, I, I COULD ASK SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES, BUT THIS ISN'T MY, MY CORNER OF THE WORLD, SO TO SPEAK.
BUT IN LIGHT, IN LIGHT OF THE CURRENT STORMS THAT ARE HITTING FLORIDA, AND, UH, SUBSEQUENT TO OUR REGION WITH US HAVING BEEN LIVING IN A TORNADO REGION, UH, THE, THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY DOESN'T SEEM TO REALLY WANNA RECOGNIZE WHEN, UH, BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS ARE BUILDING HOMES, YOU KNOW, TO A STRUCTURAL STANDARD THAT CAN HANDLE HIGH WINDS AND DIFFICULT SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS.
THEY DON'T WANNA ISSUE PREMIUMS. AND THERE ARE CERTAIN BUILDING CATEGORIES THAT I'M ACTUALLY IN THAT THEY DON'T EVEN RECOGNIZE AS A TYPE OF BUILD THAT, YOU KNOW, IS A, A TORNADO RESISTANT BUILDING, AND THEY DON'T WANT TO ISSUE INSURANCE.
UH, RECOGNIZING THAT IN THE STRUCTURE.
SO IN THIS INSTANCE, UH, I THINK ONE OF MY THINGS I WANT TO GET OUT THE BANDWAGON WITH OUR BUILDERS ASSOCIATION IS, UH, LOBBYING THE STATE FOR, UH, EITHER YOU'RE GONNA, EITHER YOU'RE GONNA RECOGNIZE, YOU KNOW, BUILDINGS THAT ARE BUILT TO A HIGHER STANDARD AND REWARD THEM FOR RATES REDUCED COMMENSURATELY, OR YOU'RE GONNA OFFER THE COVERAGE THAT'S MANDATORY FOR, UH, WHERE, WHERE, WHERE WE'RE NOT SEEING IT, AND ESPECIALLY NOW WITH MOLD REMEDIATION OF MOISTURE ISSUES, THAT IS A BIG CARVE OUT ON POLICIES.
UH, MOST OF THE POLICIES I SEE LIGHT IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE CARVING OUT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, THE BIG, THE BIG RISK ISSUES SUCH AS MOLD.
SO, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S MY COMMENT.
AND, AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO REACH OUT TO YOU, RITA, BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY.
IT IS, I, I, I, I, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS FURTHER ANY IDEAS I MIGHT HAVE WITH YOU, DR.
LOCKMAN, WITH REGARD TO HOW TO, UH, DEAL WITH, UH, CODE COMPLIANCE AND MAYBE LEVERAGING, UH, UH, THE, HOW, HOW TO, HOW TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THESE BAD PLAYERS.
UH, AND IT, IT'S JUST REALLY, I KNOW THAT IN THE PAST IT'S BEEN WITH VIGOROUS, VIGOROUS CODE COMPLIANCE AND COMPLAINTS.
THAT'S, AND STILL THANK YOU, UH, MR. HOPMAN, ONE OF THE, UM, ONE OF THE, UH, MEETINGS THAT, UM, I ATTENDED SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH, UH, AT THAT TIME IT WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE, UH, LANDLORDS ASSOCIATION.
NOW I THINK HE'S AS PRESIDENT.
UM, I THINK SOME, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU SAID PARTICULARLY ABOUT BUILDING ALSO HOLDS FOR THOSE LANDLORDS THAT DO WELL, UH, THEY'RE, UH, THEY'RE KIND OF LUMPED IN WITH THE 5% OR 10% OF LANDLORDS WHO ARE REALLY THE PROBLEM.
AND SO IT'S ONE OF THESE CLASSIC EXAMPLES WHERE WE MAKE MORE WORK FOR THE GOOD ACTORS THAT PENALIZES THEM FOR AS MUCH AS WE PENALIZE THOSE WHO ARE BAD ACTORS.
AND ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT I, UH, SOME CITIES HAVE ADOPTED, EVEN NEW ORLEANS, I THINK HAS THIS HAS BEEN, UM, A, UH, GOLD SEAL, UH, OF, UH, OF, UH, SORT OF A STANDARD, UH, UH, A SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN DISPLAY IF YOU'RE LANDLORD THAT SAYS, HEY, WE'VE BEEN HONORED BECAUSE OUR SCORES ARE PERFECT FOR SO MANY YEARS.
AND I THINK THAT, THAT THERE ARE LANDLORDS LIKE THAT.
I MET SOME OF THEM WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW TO IMPLEMENT CHAPTER 27, AND SOME OF THE PEOPLE WE MET WITH WERE VERY IMPRESSIVE IN THEIR, THEIR COMMITMENT TO STANDARDS FOR THEIR TENANTS.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GO TO DR.
CHAIR WALLACE, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA CONCLUDE ON THIS TOPIC.
YEAH, I'M GONNA BE SUPER QUICK.
THERE ARE SOME, UM, UH, NATIONAL, UM, UH, KIND OF PROGRAMS THAT, NOT NATIONAL, BUT OTHER PROGRAMS IN OTHER CITIES THAT EXIST THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, WIDELY SUCCESSFUL.
ONE THING THAT I THINK, UM, WAS SUCCESSFUL AND HELPFUL FOR RESEARCH IS THAT, UM, SOME OF THESE CODE COMPLIANCE ISSUES ARE, ARE ACTUALLY EASILY AVAILABLE AND EASILY ACCESSIBLE.
AND 3, 1 1 CODE COMPLIANCE ISSUES ARE NOT.
SO YOU HAVE TO CALL THEM, YOU HAVE TO DO A SPECIAL APPLICATION, AND YOU DON'T ALWAYS GET THE APPLICATION.
SO THE EASE OF GETTING THIS INFORMATION ACTUALLY WOULD MAKE, WOULD BE, WOULD GO SO FAR IF, UM, IF, IF THERE WAS A WAREHOUSE, IF WE COULD, IF, IF WE COULD, UM, RALLY FOR, FOR A WEBSITE OR SOMETHING TO SHOW, UM, WHERE THERE ARE THESE PARTICULAR CODE ISSUES AND CODE COMPLIANCE ISSUES WITH THESE, UM, KIND OF BAD PLAYERS.
UM, AND THERE'S ALSO GOLD STAR, UM, UH, UH, UM, THINGS THAT OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE, HAVE DONE, I KNOW, UM, I,
[00:50:01]
I THINK DALLAS COUNTY IS THINKING ABOUT DOING SOMETHING SIMILAR FOR, UM, FOR, FOR SMOKING, UM, FOR APARTMENT COMPLEX AND, UM, SMOKING ORDINANCES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.SO, SO THERE, THERE ARE, THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT AWARE, THERE IS THE PACE PROGRAM.
IT'S CALLED KEEPING PACE IN TEXAS.
UM, THIS IS FOR ANY COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, IT, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE APARTMENT COMPLEXES, HOUSES OF WORSHIP, UM, NONPROFITS.
SO, UM, PROPERTY SAYS CLEAN ENERGY ADDRESSES ALL TYPES OF ENERGY.
IT'S NOT JUST SOLAR OR ENERGY EFFICIENCY, IT'S WATER AS WELL.
AND ONE OF THE SPECIFIC THINGS THEY LOOK FOR ARE LEAKS, UH, WHEN THEY DO THE ASSESSMENT.
AND THERE IS A THIRD PARTY INSPECTION.
SO IT'S AT KEEPING PACE IN TEXAS.ORG.
IF YOU ACTUALLY KNOW ANY GOOD LANDLORDS, UH, THAT WANT TO LOOK INTO THAT, THE, UM, THE, IT IS A, A FEDERAL PROGRAM RUN BY THE STATES AND THE CITY OF DALLAS PARTICIPATES AS WELL.
UM, THE THING TO KNOW IS THAT WHATEVER UPGRADES ARE MADE, THE LOAN AMOUNT EACH MONTH CANNOT EXCEED WHAT IS CURRENTLY BEING PAID IN ENERGY BILLS.
AND FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE THAT PARTICIPATED AND SUPPORTED ON THIS AND FOR REPORTING THIS OUT TO US, WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORK.
ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO OUR BRIEFING ITEM B.
BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, STEPHANIE, IF YOU'LL MAKE A NOTE THAT COMMISSIONER ARIEL AND WOOTEN ARE PRESENT, AND THEN DR. STEWART IS PRESENT AS WELL.
ALRIGHT, BRIEFING ITEM B IS AN ERROR COMPLIANCE PROGRAM UPDATE.
UH, MR. WHITE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR SPEAKERS? SURE.
UH, TODAY I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR, UH, SPEAKERS, UH, MR. JOSEPH VU, HE'S OUR MANAGER FOR OUR AIR COMPLIANCE TEAM.
AND WE ALSO HAVE TAYLOR CUBIC, WHO'S OUR ENVIRONMENTAL COORDINATOR ON THE AIR COMPLIANCE TEAM.
UM, THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE TO Y'ALL ABOUT OUR ENVI AIR COMPLIANCE INVESTIGATION PROCESS.
UH, TODAY WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU AIR COMPLIANCE OVERALL PROGRAM UPDATE.
SORRY, I'M WAITING TO SEE IF THE, UH, POWERPOINT PRESENTATION GETS PULLED UP.
IF NOT, WE CAN JUST CONTINUE ON.
IF EVERYONE'S OKAY WITH IT, WE GIVE IT A COUPLE SECONDS HERE.
YOU, WELL, COMMISSIONERS, IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU, JUST FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND PRESENT AND WHENEVER THE PRESENTATION'S AVAILABLE, WE CAN JUST, UH, CONTINUE ON AND CATCH UP.
UM, COMMISSIONER CITY STAFF AND OTHER ATTENDEES.
MY NAME IS JOSEPH V I'M THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGER FOR OUR AIR COMPLIANCE PROGRAM IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
UH, LIKE MR. WHITE MENTIONED, I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM'S, UH, CAPABILITIES, AUTHORITIES, AND THEN, UH, OUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS.
SO THE AGENDA AND OVERVIEW FOR TONIGHT, IT'S GONNA BE BACKGROUND HISTORY OF OUR PROGRAM, UH, CONTRACTUAL AND WORK PLAN ASSIGNMENTS, UH, VEHICLE O MISSION INSPECTIONS, AND THEN A SUMMARY AT THE END, SOME BACKGROUND AND HISTORY ON OUR PROGRAM.
THE AIR COMPLIANCE PROGRAM IS MANAGED BY THE CITY OF DALLAS, OEQS, ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY.
OUR PROGRAM IS COMPRISED OF SEVEN COM, UH, COMPLIANCE INVESTIGATORS WHO ENFORCE STATE AIR QUALITY RULES IN THE CITY OF DALLAS AND ACT AS CONTRACTORS ON BEHALF OF THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
OH, THERE WE GO, MS. STEPHANIE, WE'RE ON SLIDE THREE.
SO, WHILE WE WAIT, THE AIR COMPLIANCE PROGRAM OPERATES UNDER A FIVE YEAR GRANT AGREEMENT WITH THE TCEQ.
UH, THE GRANT, THE LAST GRANT PERIOD WAS APPROVED IN FISCAL YEAR 2022.
CONTINUING ON THE EFFECTIVE DATES FOR THE GRANT CONTRACT IS SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2022 THROUGH AUGUST 31ST, 2027.
APPROXIMATELY 67% OF THE TOTAL PROGRAM COSTS ARE FUNDED AND REIMBURSED BY THE PCQ.
AND THERE'S A 33% MATCH REQUIREMENT FOR THE CITY.
[00:55:01]
BUDGET FOR THE AIR PROGRAM OR AIR COMPLIANCE PROGRAM FOR FY 25 IS ESTIMATED OR APPROXIMATELY $627,341.OUR UNIT 42, UH, 98 FOR THE DIVISION FOR A CP IS ABOUT, IS, UH, MADE UP OF EIGHT FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT POSITIONS.
ONE MANAGER POSITION AND ENVIRONMENTAL COORDINATOR, TWO, POSITION FIVE ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST, THREE POSITIONS AND ONE OFFICE ASSISTANT.
CONTINUING ON, SO REGULATORY ACTIVITIES UNDER THIS PROGRAM, WE ENFORCE STATE AIR QUALITY RULES FOR STATIONARY FACILITIES, NOT MOBILE SOURCES.
UH, WE'VE INSPECTED OR INSPECT PERMITTED AND REGISTERED INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL FACILITIES.
WE COMPLETED 299 INSPECTIONS AND FISCAL YEAR 24, UH, PART OF OUR ACTIVITIES FOR THE PROGRAM.
WE ALSO RE, UH, RESPOND TO CITIZEN COMPLAINTS REGARDING DUST, ODOR OR, UH, REG OTHER REGULATORY CONCERNS.
UH, FY 24, WE'VE RECEIVED 249 COMPLAINTS FOR THE DIVISION.
UH, NOT ALL OF THESE COMPLAINTS ARE INVESTIGATED.
SOME OF THEM MAY BE REFERRED OUT TO OUR SISTER DEPARTMENT, SUCH AS CODE COMPLIANCE OR STORM WATER.
OTHERS MAY BE CLOSED OUT OR REFERRED AS WELL DUE TO THE COMPLAINT NOT MEETING, UH, THE CRITERIA TO PERFORM A COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION.
THERE MAY NOT BE ENOUGH INFORMATION, THERE MAY NOT BE CONTACT INFORMATION TO CONTACT THE COMPLAINANT TO COLLECT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR OUR INVESTIGATIONS.
UH, OTHER INSTANCES, UH, THERE MAY BE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ON A SINGLE INCIDENT OR OCCURRENCE.
AND SO ONLY IT, IT WOULD RESULT IN ONLY ONE INVESTIGATION PERFORMED TO DOCUMENT ALL THE INCIDENCES FOR THAT OCCURRENCE.
UH, AN EXAMPLE I WANTED TO PROVIDE TO THE COMMISSION.
UM, RECENTLY WE'VE HAD A COMPLAINT SUBMITTED ABOUT A, A FOUL ODOR, UH, PERMEATING A NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, WE ASSIGNED IT TO AN INVESTIGATOR.
THE INVESTIGATOR WAS ABLE TO GO ON SITE, PERFORM THEIR AREA OF RECONNAISSANCE.
THEY IDENTIFIED THAT THE ODORS WERE ORIGINATING FROM A DECEASED, UH, ANIMAL AND A, UH, UNDEVELOPED VACANT LOT.
AND SO THEY WERE ABLE TO CORRESPOND WITH DALLAS ANIMAL SERVICES FOR A PICKUP OF THE DECEASED ANIMAL.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE I WANTED TO PROVIDE WAS AN OUTDOOR BURNING COMPLAINT.
UM, A CITIZEN HAD COMPLAINED THAT A NEARBY, UH, RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY WAS PERFORMING, UH, NON-COMPLIANT BURNING, UH, MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE.
AN INVESTIGATOR WAS ASSIGNED TO THE COMPLAINT CASE AND ALSO IDENTIFIED WHILE ON SITE THERE WAS NONCOMPLIANT BURNING OCCURRING AT THE PROPERTY.
THEY'RE ABLE TO DISCUSS WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER REPRESENTATIVES AND RESOLVE THE ISSUE BY CEASING THE ACTIVE BURNING AND CLEANING UP OF THE DEBRIS.
UM, CONTINUING ON WITH THE BACKGROUND, SO WE ISSUED, OUR DIVISION ISSUED 29 VIOLATIONS IN FISCAL YEAR 24 RELATED TO AIR, UM, POLLUTION.
AND WE ALSO REFERRED SIX ENFORCEMENT CASES TO THE TCQ ENFORCEMENT DIVISION IN FISCAL YEAR 24 CONTRACT AND WORK PLAN ASSIGNMENTS.
SO THE TCQ PROVIDES OUR PROGRAM WITH A WORK PLAN COMMITMENT EACH FISCAL YEAR TO MEET THE EPAS OR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY'S COMPLIANCE MONITORING STRATEGY.
THE AIR COMPLIANCE PROGRAM WORK PLAN COMMITMENTS ARE 258 AIR COMPLIANCE INVESTIGATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.
IF THE WORK PLAN COMMITMENTS ARE NOT COMPLETED BY OUR DIVISION ANNUALLY, THE TCQ COULD ELECT TO WITHHOLD REIMBURSEMENT MATCHES TO THE CITY.
THE TCQ, THE WORK PLAN BASED ON THE EPAS, UH, COMPLIANCE MONITORING STRATEGIES INCLUDE ANNUAL INVESTIGATIONS ON TITLE V, MAJOR SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION THAT EXCEEDS THRESHOLDS SET BY THE EPA AND CONTINUE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THE WORK PLAN INCLUDES, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO CURRENTLY.
THERE ARE 11 TITLE V MAJOR SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION THAT REQUIRE ANNUAL INVESTIGATIONS BY OUR TEAM, THE REMAINDER OF THE WORK PLAN, WHICH IS 2 58.
SO THE REMAINDER 2 47 ARE AT THE DISCRETION OF OUR PROGRAM.
THESE REMAINING FACILITIES ARE NOT REQUIRED TO BE INSPECTED ANNUALLY.
SO OUR DIVISION, THE AIR COMPLIANCE PROGRAM FOCUSES ON FACILITIES SUCH AS, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO CONCRETE BATCH PLANTS, CHEMICAL BLENDING FACILITIES, BULK MINERAL STORAGE, AUTOMOBILE BODY REFINISHING, FACILITIES, MANUFACTURERS, AND FABRICATORS.
THE FOCUS IS TO INVESTIGATE OR ASSESS FACILITIES THAT HAVE BEEN LOCATED IN, UM, HISTORICALLY ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITIES.
AND THE EMPHASIS ON THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES SHOULD HAVE NO IMPACT OR REDUCTION IN OTHER FACILITY INVESTIGATION TYPES.
SO, MOVING ON TO SLIDE SLIDE NINE, WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO PILOT A PROGRAM FOR VEHICLE EMISSION INSPECTIONS.
SO THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES ARE INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES.
SO, BEGINNING IN JANUARY 1ST, 2025, THE STATE OF TEXAS, THE VEHICLE SAFETY PROGRAM IN TEXAS WILL ELIMINATE MOST VEHICLE SAFETY INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS.
[01:00:01]
TEXAS HOUSE BILL 3, 2, 9 7.IT STATES THAT NON-COMMERCIAL VEHICLES WILL NO LONGER REQUIRE A VEHICLE SAFETY INSPECTION PRIOR TO ANNUAL REGISTRATION.
HOWEVER, COMMERCIAL VEHICLES IN ALL COUNTIES IN TEXAS ARE STILL REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A PASSING VEHICLE SAFETY INSPECTION.
UH, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A NON-COMMERCIAL AND COMMERCIAL VEHICLE, A NON-COMMERCIAL VEHICLE IS A PASSENGER VEHICLE USED BY MOST PEDESTRIANS, UH, VERSUS A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE NORMALLY USED FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF GOODS AND SERVICES ACROSS THE ROADWAYS OF TEXAS.
SO, SLIDE 10, UH, SOME METRICS.
SO ACCORDING TO THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 2 MILLION NON-COMMERCIAL VEHICLES REGISTERED IN DALLAS COUNTY AS OF 2023.
ALSO, ACCORDING TO THE US BUREAU OF TRANSPORTATION STATISTICS, THEY LIST THAT THE AVERAGE AGE OF PASSENGER CARS OR NON-COMMERCIAL VEHICLES ARE TO BE, ARE 12.2 YEARS OR OLDER.
IN THE US SLIDE 11, VEHICLE EMISSION INSPECTIONS ARE STILL REQUIRED IN THE MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREAS OF MOST COUNTIES IN TEXAS.
THE VEHICLE EMISSION INSPECTIONS EVALUATE THAT A VEHICLE'S EMISSIONS RELATED PARTS ARE WORKING PROPERLY TO LIMIT SMOG AND AIR POLLUTION.
THESE VEHICLE EMISSION INSPECTIONS WERE IMPLEMENTED IN AFFECTED AREAS IN TEXAS TO APPROVE AIR, AIR QUALITY AND O AND ARE OVERSEEN BY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
THE AIR COMPLIANCE PROGRAM IS DEVELOPING AND PILOTING A PROGRAM TO CONDUCT MOTOR VEHICLE INVESTIGATIONS IN RESPONSE TO THE CHANGES TO THE VEHICLE SAFETY INSPECTIONS IN TEXAS.
THIS UPCOMING YEAR, THESE INVESTIGATIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED TO EVALUATE COMPLIANCE WITH TITLE 30, TEXAS ADMINISTRATION CODE 1 1 4 REGARDING MOTOR VEHICLE ANTIT TAMPERING REQUIREMENTS.
SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS, UH, REFERRED TO THAT A INDIVIDUAL A PERSON MAY SELL, NO PERSON MAY SELL OFFER FOR LEASE FOR SALE OF LEASE AT ANY VEHICLE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS UNLESS THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS ARE MET.
THESE VEHICLES MUST BE EQUIPPED EITHER THE ORIGINAL EMISSION CONTROL DEVICES OR AN ALTERNATIVE CONTROL DEVICE.
UH, THE EMISSION CONTROL DEVICES AND SYSTEMS SHALL BE OPERATED IN GOOD CONDITION AND A NOTICE OF PROHIBITION MUST BE DISPLAYED AT THE LOCATIONS FOR WHICH THE BUSINESS SELLS.
OFFERS FOR SALE LEASE OR OFFERS FOR LEASE SLIDE.
SO CURRENTLY THE TCQ TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AS AN AGENCY PERFORMS THESE NON-ROUTINE TYPES OF INVESTIGATIONS ON DEMAND WHEN COMPLAINTS ARE RECEIVED.
CURRENTLY, THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, THEIR LOCAL AIR PROGRAM, UH, ASSIST PROGRAM TO OURS, THEY CONDUCT MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTIONS.
OUR DIVISION, OR THE AIR COMPLIANCE PROGRAM HAS ONGOING DIALOGUE WITH THE CITY OF FORT WORTH LOCAL AIR PROGRAM TO FURTHER DEVELOP AND PILOT THIS PROGRAM.
THE GOALS OF THE PROGRAM ARE AS FOLLOWS, TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES SOLD TO CUSTOMERS, WHICH WOULD NOT PASS THE REQUIRED STATE'S EMISSIONS INSPECTIONS.
SORRY, I GOT DISTRACTED FROM THE POWERPOINT COMING UP.
UM, SECOND GOAL TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES WITH NON-OP OPERABLE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEMS OR DEVICES ON THE ROADWAYS OF DALLAS.
AND LASTLY, POTENTIALLY AID IN THE IMPROVEMENT OF AIR QUALITY REGARDING THE NON-ATTAINMENT STATUS OF DALLAS COUNTY.
AS MANY OF YOU COMMISSIONERS AND OTHER ATTENDEES MAY KNOW, UH, DALLAS IS IN SERIOUS NON-ATTAINMENT FOR THE NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS, SPECIFICALLY FOR OZONE, WHICH IS PRIMARILY CAUSED BY VEHICLE EMISSIONS.
SO PROGRAM STRATEGIES INCLUDE THE PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT USED TO SCAN AND ACCESS THE VEHICLE'S ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEMS TO DETERMINE IF THESE OPERABLE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEMS AND DEVICES ARE IN GOOD WORKING CONDITION.
AND TO DEVELOP AN INVESTIGATION STRATEGY ACROSS THE CITY BY IDENTIFYING USED AUTOMOBILE SALES LOTS AND THEIR CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCIES, EXCUSE ME.
THIS INCLUDES BOTH SMALL USED AUTOMOBILE CAR LOTS AS WELL AS THE LARGE USED CAR LOTS SUCH AS DEALERSHIPS.
UM, A A DETAIL TO NOTE VEHICLES THAT ARE MANUFACTURED MORE THAN 24 YEARS OR OLDER ARE NOT REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY USE REQUIREMENT FOR EMISSION STANDARDS.
OUR PROGRAM, THE AIR COMPLIANCE PROGRAM'S GOAL IS TO CONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS TO MEET THE CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS AND ADHERE TO THE TCQ STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
WE AIM TO BE A PRESENCE IN THE COMMUNITY OF DALLAS BY ADDRESSING COMPLAINT, UH, CITIZEN COMPLAINTS
[01:05:01]
REGARDING ODORS, DUST, OR OTHER REGULATORY CONCERNS, AND OVERALL TO PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH FROM THE ENVIRONMENT.WITH THAT, WE HAVE A SLIDE FOR ANY QUESTIONS ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS MAY HAVE FOR US IN THE PROGRAM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW ALONG LOTS OF NUMBERS AND YES, UH, STATISTICS WITHOUT SEEING THE ACTUAL SLIDES.
SO I HAVE A FEELING THAT COMMISSIONERS MAY GO HOME, REVIEW THE PRESENTATION AND HAVE SOME FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
UM, MY INITIAL QUESTION IS, UH, UNDER YOUR CURRENT STAFFING LEVEL, UH, YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONDUCT ALL OF THE AIR COMPLIANCE INVESTIGATIONS WITHIN YOUR WORK PLAN AND ADD NOW, UM, VEHICLE EMISSIONS, UH, TESTING FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLES IN THE CITY OF DALLAS THAT ARE BEING SOLD OR THAT ARE DRIVING ON THE, THE HIGHWAYS.
IS THAT AN ACCURATE REPRESENTATION? YES, MA'AM.
SO FOR THE LEVEL OF EFFORT THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR TEAM, IT'S DEFINITELY A PILOT PROGRAM.
WE DEFINITELY WANT TO LOOK INTO IS THIS A VIABLE PROGRAM THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT WHILE MAINTAINING THE LEVEL OF EFFORT TO MEET OUR CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS.
FOR OUR WORK PLAN, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO VISIT OUR ANNUAL FACILITIES THAT ARE REQUIRED THE 11 TITLE FIVE MAJOR FACILITIES, BUT ALSO MAINTAIN A LEVEL OF, UM, OF EFFORT FOR THE OTHER SENSITIVE, UH, FACILITIES SUCH AS CONCRETE BATCH PLANTS, CHEMICAL PLANNING, FACILITIES, MANUFACTURERS, FABRICATORS.
UM, UH, AN EXAMPLE THAT I WANTED TO PROVIDE TO THE COMMISSION RECENTLY, A FEW FEW WEEKS BACK, A RESIDENT HAD SUBMITTED A COMPLAINT TO OUR DIVISION REGARDING A VEHICLE THAT THEY HAD PURCHASED WITH THEIR VERY HARD EARNED MONEY.
IT WAS A VEHICLE THAT THEY BELIEVED THAT THEY WERE PURCHASING A GOOD OPERATION, A GOOD OPERABLE CONDITION.
AND SO AFTER THE COMPLAINANT OR THE CITIZEN HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, THEY FOUND OUT THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PASS THE STATE EMISSION STANDARDS FOR EMISSIONS TESTING.
AND SO THE IDEA IS TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE CITIZENS OF DALLAS CONCERNS ABOUT THE VEHICLES THEY'RE PURCHASING, AS WELL AS BEING ABLE TO ADDRESS AND IDENTIFY, INSPECT OTHER FACILITIES AS WELL WITH THE CURRENT STAFFING LEVEL.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY, ARE THESE ONLY COMMERCIAL VEHICLES OR THEY'RE ALL VEHICLES? NON-COMMERCIAL VEHICLES.
VEHICLE, SO, SO PASSENGER VEHICLES.
PASSENGER VEHICLES, JUST SEDANS, VANS, TRUCKS, ALL OF WHAT WE DRIVE EVERY DAY.
I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP TO OTHER QUESTIONS.
CHAIR WALLS, THIS ISN'T ABOUT THE PRESENTATION, THIS IS ABOUT, I I DID NOT RECEIVE A DIGITAL COPY OF THE AGENDAS.
YEAH, WE'RE WORKING ON SOME PROCESSES THAT ARE GONNA ENSURE THAT WE HAVE AMPLE TIME TO REVIEW ALL OF THE MEETING MATERIALS, UM, PRIOR TO THE MEETING, UM, THE AGENDA POSTS ON FRIDAY AT 5:30 PM TO THE CITY SECRETARY'S WEBSITE.
IF YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE A COMMISSION MEETING, YOU CAN ALWAYS GET IT THERE FIRST, OR GO TO THE CITY SECRETARY'S WEBSITE, GO TO POST PUBLIC MEETINGS, BUT IT SHOULD ALSO BE IN YOUR INBOX ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON, AS SOON AS IT POSTS AS WELL, WE'RE WORKING THAT OUT.
SO WE'RE GONNA GET THAT FIGURED OUT SO THAT EVERYBODY HAS AMPLE TIME TO REVIEW ALL OF THIS INFORMATION.
IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION AND, AND WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL COMING AND, UM, BEARING WITH US.
THERE ARE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, UH, IT'S JUST NOT WANTING TO SHARE.
UM, AND I KNOW STEPHANIE'S WORKING REALLY HARD ON IT RIGHT NOW, SO I SHARE ARIEL AND THEN SURE.
UM, ROBERTSON, WHAT IS OUR PLAN TO REMEDY OUR SEVERE NON-ATTAINMENT, UH, FOR OZONE OR THE UPCOMING 2.5 ANNUAL STANDARD OZONE? UM, FOR, FOR THE OZONE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING WITH COG, UH, FOR ACTUALLY OZONE AND, UH, PM 2.5.
SO, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, AIR QUALITY ISN'T JUST LIMITED BY, UH, THE BORDERS OF THE CITY.
SO WE HAVE TO WORK WITH OTHER CITIES AS WELL, UM, WITHIN THE DFW AREA, UM, SO THAT WE CAN WORK ON OUR OZONE, NON-ATTAINMENT.
CAN WE HAVE AN UPDATE OR BE BRIEFED ON THE WORK PLAN, WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH COG PARTNERS INVOLVED? SURE.
WE CAN, UM, WE CAN TALK TO THE COG ABOUT COMING UP HERE AND PROVIDING AN UPDATE.
I FEEL LIKE IT'S SOMETHING WE TALK ABOUT ALL THE TIME, SO THAT'D BE GOOD TO KNOW THE FACTS.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I HAVE A, A QUESTION THAT KIND OF CONCERNS ME IF WE'RE WE'RE ALREADY, I, I'M SURE I'M PREACHING TO THE PARK.
WE'RE ALREADY STRUGGLING WITH IDENTIFYING POOR AIR QUALITY IN PLACES AND TRYING TO GET IT FIXED.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS ONE WAY OF IDENTIFYING THINGS THAT POLLUTE.
DO YOU GUYS HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE FOR HOW TO MEASURE, YOU KNOW, AIR QUALITY? WILL YOU BE PUTTING UP MORE MONITORS? WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING TO, BECAUSE NOW
[01:10:01]
WE'RE LOSING THAT ONE IDENTIFIER.'CAUSE CARS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, 24 YEARS, THAT'S PRETTY, THAT'S PRETTY OLD.
I MEAN, IF I HAD A 24-YEAR-OLD CALL, I WOULD, I WOULD PROBABLY WELCOME THAT.
BUT I'M JUST SAYING THOSE, THAT'S A LOT OF EMISSIONS.
AND YOU HAVE 18 WEAVERS, YOU KNOW, THE ONES WITH THE SILVER PIPES AND EVERYTHING.
UH, SO NONE OF THAT WILL BE MONITORED ANYMORE.
SO AS FAR AS OUR AIR ESSENTIAL PROGRAM, UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE AN EPA GRANT, UM, THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO ACCEPT.
WE WERE JUST AWARDED, UH, THAT EPA GRANT WAS FOR ABOUT $650,000.
UM, AND WITH THAT GRANT, WE'RE GONNA BE ALLOWED TO, UH, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO WORK IN COORDINATION WITH, UM, TEXAS TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE TO PUT MORE AIR SENSORS OUT.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT MORE PROGRAMS LIKE THAT.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE JUST TRYING TO REALLY LEVERAGE OUR PARTNERSHIPS, UH, BECAUSE OF OUR STAFFING CHALLENGES, UM, RIGHT NOW.
SO, UH, BUT WE ARE GONNA STRENGTHEN OUR PROGRAM.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, UM, WHEN I SPOKE AT THE, UH, RECENT AIR SENSOR SUMMIT, I TALKED TO THEM ABOUT, UM, THE AIR, UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, AND HOW YOU ALL WOULD LIKE US TO DO, AND WHICH WE NEED TO DO, UH, MORE ENGAGEMENT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND WORKING WITH YOU ALL TO DO THAT.
SO THAT'S PART OF OUR GAME PLAN, UH, MOVING FORWARD IS WE WORK ON PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, BUT AS FAR AS MORE AIR SENSORS, UH, WE, WE ARE GONNA WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
AND I'D LIKE TO ALSO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
I KNOW YOU'RE BABBLING TRYING TO KEEP YOUR HEAD ABOVE WATER WITH THE STAFFING THAT YOU HAVE.
YOU ALL ARE DOING A GOOD JOB WITH WHAT YOU HAVE TO WORK WITH, AND HOPEFULLY, UM, WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER AND THAT'LL MAKE YOUR JOB AND OUR JOB A LITTLE EASY.
COMMISSIONER ALSO WANTED TO FOLLOW UP.
YOU HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE COMMERCIAL VEHICLE EMISSION INSPECTIONS.
AND SO THE UPCOMING 2025 CHANGES ARE ONLY REGARDING THE SAFETY INSPECTIONS ON NON PASSENGER, OR I'M SORRY, NON-COMMERCIAL VEHICLES SUCH AS PASSENGER VEHICLES, COMMERCIAL VEHICLES ARE STILL REQUIRED TO PASS AN ANNUAL SAFETY INSPECTION AS WELL AS ADMISSION INSPECTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
LACKMAN AND THEN COMMISSIONER
YEAH, I HAVE, UM, I HAVE, UH, A, UH, A A UH, COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UH, ONE IS, UH, IN THE, UM, THE PROGRAM WHERE YOU'RE MONITORING FACILITIES, DOES THAT INCLUDE ANY MONITORING FOR PM 2.5? UM, SO WE DON'T TECHNICALLY HAVE A, WHEN YOU SAY MONITORING FACILITIES, UM, WE DON'T HAVE A PROGRAM WHERE WE'RE USING AIR SENSORS TO MONITOR FACILITIES.
WE HAVE OUR REGULATORY PROGRAM, WHICH IS A REGIONAL PROGRAM, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR COMMUNITY LEVEL AIR MONITORING PROGRAM, UH, IN WHICH WE USE THE LOW COST SENSORS, AND WE USE THAT FOR NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL MONITORING, BUT NOT FOR FACILITY MONITORING.
UM, SO AS A, AS AN EXAMPLE, UM, WHEN, UM, WE HAD THE, UH, HEARING IN THE PY COMMUNITY, UH, ON THE CONCRETE BATCH PLANT, UM, I, UH, MY TESTIMONY WAS THAT, UM, UH, I LOOKED AT, UH, THE LOCATION OF THAT PLANT AND THAT ZIP CODE HAD AND COMPARED IT TO THE PARKLAND CENTER FOR CLINICAL INNOVATIONS, UH, ASTHMA VULNERABILITY INDEX.
AND THAT'S ZIP CODE 7 5 2 4 1 AS THE, UM, SECOND WORST, UH, ASTHMA VULNERABILITY OF ANY ZIP CODE OF THE 65 IN DALLAS COUNTY.
AND WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE ZIP CODES WHICH MEET MOST OF THE OTHER CRITERIA BY THE 7 5 2 4 1.
SO I'M AT A LOSS EXCEPT FOR THE BATCH PLAN TO EXPLAIN WHY THE ASTHMA VULNERABILITY IS SO HIGH IN THAT ZIP CODE.
NOW, WHERE THAT SITS, THAT BATCH PLANT SITS, SITS ACROSS THE STREET FROM WHERE JOI SITS IN 7 5 3 1 6 7 5 2 1 6 HAS THE SECOND WORST, UM, LIFE EXPECTANCY FOR AN AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE OF ANY ZIP CODE IN THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES ON THE EPA INDEX OF HEALTHCARE RELATED TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
IT IS THE LOWEST ZIP CODE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS IN, UH, IN, IN, IN, IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UH, THERE'S PRETTY OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE TO ME THAT SUGGESTS THAT THERE'S A DIRECT EFFECT AND THAT MUCH OF THAT IS RELATED FROM WHAT I KNOW FROM LOOKING AT THE, THE PM 2.5.
AND SO, UH, I THINK THAT THAT PM 2.5 IS A, A KEY
[01:15:01]
THING THAT WE NEED TO GET INTO REALLY LOOKING AT BECAUSE IT'S SUCH AN OVERWHELMING LOSS.UM, ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS, I KNOW I LOOKED AT YOUR, YOUR NUMBERS OF, UH, 299 COMPLAINTS, UH, A 249 IN FISCAL YEAR, UH, 299 INSPECTIONS AND SIX ENFORCEMENT CASES AND 29 VIOLATIONS.
WHAT, UH, WHAT HAPPENED DO YOU HAVE NON-RESPONDERS AND HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THOSE? AND I WILL SAY THAT ONE OF THE THINGS WE FOUND WHEN WE LOOKED AT WHAT CODE ENFORCEMENT IS DOING ON HOUSING COMPLAINTS, IF YOU'RE A LANDLORD AND YOU ONLY CALL 'EM BACK THREE TIMES, THEY CLOSE THE CASE.
AND THEN THEY'RE TELLING US THEY CLOSE 75% OF THE CASES NON-RESPONSE IS NOT A CASE CLOSURE.
SO WHAT, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU GUYS DO WITH NON-RESPONDERS? COMMISSIONER, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I'M CLEAR.
WHEN YOU SAY NON-RESPONDERS, ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE ALLEGED SOURCE NOT RESPONDING OR THE COMPLAINANT, THE, THE FACILITY YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT AGAINST? THE FACILITY IN THE FACILITY DOES NOT RESPOND WHERE WE CAN'T MAKE CONTACT OR IDENTIFY AN INDIVIDUAL FOR THE ALLEGED SOURCE.
DOES THAT HAPPEN AND HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH IT? THERE ARE SOME INSTANCES WHERE THAT MAY NOT HAPPEN.
FOR EXAMPLE, A COMPLAINT MAY COME IN REGARDING A VACANT PROPERTY OR A HOUSE THAT IS NOT CURRENTLY OCCUPIED, AND THERE MAY BE ODORS ORIGINATING FROM THAT PROPERTY DUE TO VECTOR ISSUES SUCH AS, AS YOU POINTED OUT, POOLS OR STAINING BODIES OF WATER.
IN THOSE CASES, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE ALLEGED SOURCE.
UM, MAJORITY OF CASES WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH OUR ALLEGED SOURCES, WHETHER IT'S A FACILITY, A RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY, OR IN A LOT OF OTHER INSTANCES, THERE MAY BE NO ALLEGED SOURCE TO RESPOND TO OR CONTACT.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE ANY KIND OF AUTHORITY.
SHOULD YOU THINK THAT THERE WAS A, LIKE WHAT WE FOUND IN NANDO VILLAS WHERE THAT POOL WAS A RISK FOR, UH, WEST NILE, THAT IF THAT WERE NOT A NONRESPONSIVE PROPERTY BECAUSE IT WAS UNOCCUPIED STUFF, WE WOULDN'T HAVE ANY WAY OF, UH, AND IT WAS IN THE HOUSE AS AN EXAMPLE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE ANY WAY AFFECTING THAT OF DEALING WITH THAT.
SO FOR COMMISSIONER, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY, IF HYPOTHETICAL THE FACILITY MANAGEMENT OR LANDLORD OR PROPERTY OWNER WAS NOT RESPONDING TO OUR INVESTIGATION, HOW WOULD WE HANDLE THE SCENARIO? YES, I WOULD SAY OUR TEAM AND OUR DIVISION AS WELL AS THE AGENCY OVERALL, OUR PROCESS PROCEDURE AND STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE IS TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE ALLEGED SOURCE.
THERE IS NO SCENARIO WHERE WE SAY, HEY, WE'VE BEEN OUT HERE THREE, FOUR TIMES AND WE CANNOT CONTACT THE ALLEGED SOURCE CASE CLOSE.
PART OF THE PROCESS IS, IS TO IDENTIFY THE ALLEGED SOURCE, INFORM THE SOURCE THAT THAT COMPLAINT OR A REGULATORY CONCERN HAS BEEN MADE AGAINST THE FACILITY AND THEN PERFORM OUR COMPLIANCE OR COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION ON THAT SOURCE.
DOES THAT ANSWER? SO, SO ARE YOU INTERESTED IN SEEING OUR DATA ON THE KENDALL VILLAS APARTMENTS AND THE INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN PARTICULATES, UH, THAT DR.
LARRY COMPLIED? I CAN SUPPLY IT TO YOU A COPY OF HIS REPORT.
I WOULD DEFINITELY BE INTERESTED IN RECEIVING THE DATA AND DOCUMENTATION YOU'D LIKE TO PROVIDE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY OUR PROGRAM'S PURVIEW DOES NOT RELATE TO INDOOR AIR QUALITY.
UM, MR. BURTON, DID YOU STILL WANNA ASK A QUESTION? UH, HOPEFULLY THIS WILL BE PRETTY QUICK.
SO I GUESS KIND OF ADDING ON TO WHAT DR.
LOCKMAN WAS GETTING AT 249 COMPLAINTS, 2129 VIOLATIONS, AND YOU MADE IT CLEAR A LOT OF THOSE, MAYBE THEY'RE DOUBLED UP.
MAYBE THERE'S A, THERE'S A VERY GOOD REASON THAT THERE'S SO MANY COMPLAINTS, THE RATIO IS SO APPLIED.
UH, IS THERE A WAY FOR THE PUBLIC TO ACCESS THOSE COMPLAINTS TO SEE, TO FOLLOW UP? LIKE, UH, FOR ANYONE, EVEN, EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT THE COMPLAINANT, UH, WITHOUT AN OPEN RECORDS REQUEST, JUST TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED, WHY OF THOSE OTHER OF THE 209 SOME ODD COMPLAINTS THAT, UH, DIDN'T LEAD TO A VIOLATION, IS THERE ANY WAY TO ACCESS THAT DATA? UH, COMMISSIONER, JUST TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE ASKING IF AN INDIVIDUAL'S ABLE TO LOCATE, COLLECT DATA REGARDING AIR POLLUTION COMPLAINTS TO THE CITY YEAH.
OF THOSE WITHOUT OPEN RECORDS, RIGHT.
[01:20:01]
OF THOSE 249 COMPLAINTS, COULD I LOOK AT ONE THAT DIDN'T LEAD TO A VIOLATION UNTIL A RESIDENT OF MY DISTRICT? WHY DIDN'T WE DO A VIOLATION? UM, COMMISSIONER, IT WOULD BE WOKE UP ALSO TO SPEAK TO YOU.YEAH, I, I DON'T, AND WE'D HAVE TO CHECK, WE COULD FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON THAT, BUT I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE SOME PRIVACY ISSUES, RIGHT, RIGHT.
WITH YOU BEING ABLE TO FOLLOW UP WITH SOMEONE'S, TO FOLLOW UP WITH SOMEONE ABOUT A COMPLAINT BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, IF, IF, IF YOU COULD JUST ASK FOR THAT INFORMATION, THEY MAY NOT WANT IT TO BE KNOWN THAT THEY'RE COMPLAINING, THEY MAY NOT WANT THE FACILITY THAT THEY'RE COMPLAINING AGAINST TO KNOW WHO THEY ARE.
UM, BUT WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON THAT, I SUPPOSE.
MM-HMM,
'CAUSE I, I SEE WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T WANNA COMPLAIN ABOUT A NEIGHBOR OR A BUSINESS AND THEN HAVE THEM KNOW THAT I'M THE ONE THAT COMPLAINED ABOUT IT.
BUT IF THERE WAS A GENERAL WAY TO JUST SEE THE, THE COMPLAINT, NOT THE COMPLAINANT MM-HMM.
AND WHAT THE RESOLUTION WAS, WHETHER THERE WAS NO RESOLUTION, A, A VALIDATION, A VIOLATION, OR, YOU KNOW, INVESTIGATOR WENT OUT, THIS IS WHAT THEY SAW A VIOLATION.
YEAH, NO, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I THINK, UM, SO TOMORROW I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH OUR OPEN RECORDS, UH, PERSON TO KIND OF SEE HOW THAT WORKS AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO GIVE INFORMATION AND BE ABLE TO LEAVE CERTAIN INFORMATION OUT.
BUT STILL BE ABLE, YEAH, WE CAN DO THAT.
THEN THE OTHER ONE WAS, UH, WHEN AN INVESTIGATOR, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, UH, THERE WAS SOMEONE DOING NON-COMPLIANT BURNING OF DEBRIS, DOES THE INVESTIGATOR WAIT LIKE VISIBLY STAY THERE AND WATCH THEM PUT OUT THE FIRE AND CLEAN THE DEBRIS? OR DO THEY JUST SAY, YOU HAVE TO DO THIS AND THEN THEY LEAVE? COMMISSIONER? UM, I WANTED TO ADD ON TO PAUL'S PIECE AND THEN ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
SO IT'S ENFORCEMENT DISCRETION.
IT DEPENDS ON THE SCENARIO AND THE INCIDENT THAT IS OCCURRING.
FOR THE EXAMPLE THAT I PROVIDED TO YOU, THE INVESTIGATOR WAS ABLE TO WAIT AND PHYSICALLY WATCH THEM PUT THE FIRE OUT, UM, GAVE THEM ABOUT AN HOUR OR TWO AND THEN RETURNED BACK TO THE FACILITY TO BE ABLE TO VISUALLY CONFIRM THAT THE DEBRIS PILE HAD BEEN REMOVED AND RELOCATED INTO A TRASH RECEPTACLE AND THE FIRE WAS OUT NOT CAUSING A SMOKE OR ODOR ISSUE.
BUT THERE'S OTHER INSTANCES WHILE WE'LL SAY COMMISSIONER, THAT THE INVESTIGATOR MAY PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TIME FOR THE ALLEGED SOURCE TO COME BACK INTO COMPLIANCE.
FOR INSTANCE, MAYBE THE FACILITY OR ALLEGED SOURCE WAS BURNING A TREE AND SO THEY MAY NEED ADDITIONAL TIME TO COLLECT THE MATERIAL, UH, DISPOSE OF IT THROUGH EITHER BULK TRASH HANDLING WITH SANITATION OR HAVE A THIRD PARTY VENDOR COME OUT AND TRANSPORT AND DISPOSE OF THAT DEBRIS FOR THAT.
SO GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE INVESTIGATOR TYPICALLY FOLLOWS UP YES SIR.
WHETHER IT'S WITHIN AN HOUR OR WITHIN AN X AMOUNT OF TIME, THEY FOLLOW UP TO MAKE SURE THAT THE JOB IS DONE.
THAT COMMISSIONER ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT AS PART OF OUR STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE, ONCE A VIOLATION HAS BEEN ALLEGED AND CITED, THERE IS A TIMEFRAME TO PROVIDE THAT INDIVIDUAL OR ALLEGED SOURCE TO PERFORM CORRECTIVE ACTION.
AND IT IS ON THE INVESTIGATOR TO CONFIRM AND PERFORM A FOLLOW-UP INVESTIGATION TO VERIFY.
LOOKS LIKE ANY TYPICAL CODE VIOLATION IS SIMILAR.
UM, ALSO, COMMISSIONER, TO ADDRESS YOUR PRIOR QUESTION, LIKE MR. WHITE SAID, WE'LL FOLLOW UP AND FIGURE OUT IN TERMS OF OPEN RECORDS, UM, OR PUBLIC INFORMATION ON YOUR INQUIRY FOR THE SERVICE REQUEST.
I WILL SAY THROUGH A ONE STRATEGIC CUSTOMER SERVICE MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU A BETTER ANSWER ON HOW TO COLLECT THAT DATA WITHOUT POTENTIALLY VIOLATING A COMPLAINANT'S PERSONAL INFORMATION OR IDENTITY.
UM, PART OF IT MAY ALSO BE HAVE YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD NEED THE SURFACE SE REQUEST NUMBER TO PULL UP INFORMATION ABOUT THAT COMPLAINT.
WHICH KIND OF ANSWERS MY QUESTION.
LIKE, IF A SOMEONE IN MY DISTRICT ASKED ME ABOUT A COMPLAINT THAT THEY FILED, THEY COULD GIVE ME THE SERVICE RECORD NUMBER AND I MM-HMM.
ONE LAST ONE, HOPEFULLY REAL QUICK.
UH, WHEN I GET MY VEHICLE INSPECTED CURRENTLY, UH, THEY DO EMISSIONS AND SAFETY AT THE SAME TIME RIGHT BEFORE I REGISTER.
AND NOW THEY'RE JUST GONNA NOT DO SAFETY.
THEY'RE ONLY GONNA DO EMISSIONS FOR A NON-COMMERCIAL VEHICLE.
AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE VEHICLE SAFETY INSPECTION PROGRAM, IT'S GOING AWAY 2025, NO LONGER REQUIRED.
THEY ARE, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY IS ADDING ONTO THE COST OF REGISTRATION AN ADDITIONAL $7 AND 50 CENTS.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THAT PHYSICAL SAFETY INSPECTION FOR YOUR BRAKE LIGHTS, WINDSHIELD MIRRORS.
YOU'RE STILL ON THE HOOK FOR THAT
[01:25:01]
EMISSIONS INSPECTION GOING TO A FACILITY THAT IS YEAH, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I, IT'S JUST THE SLIDES KIND OF MAKE IT SEEM LIKE IT'S EITHER DPS OR PCEQ.THE CITY OF FORT WORTH LOCAL AIR PROGRAM CONDUCTS MOTOR VEHICLE INVESTIGATIONS.
A CB HAS ONGOING DIALOGUE FOR WORTH TO DEVELOP THE PROGRAM.
IS THERE, IS THERE NOT AN EMISSIONS PROGRAM FOR NON-COMMERCIAL VEHICLES OUTSIDE OF THE, WHAT WE DO RIGHT NOW, IT SAYS TCEQ HAS AN AGENCY THAT PERFORMS NON-ROUTINE TYPES ON DEMAND WHEN COMPLAINTS ARE RECEIVED, RECEIVED OR VEHICLE ADMISSION INSPECTIONS.
IS THAT FOR COMMERCIAL ONLY? I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER.
I'M TRYING TO THINK THROUGH IT.
SO YOU'RE ASKING THAT, IS THERE AN EMISSIONS INSPECTION PROGRAM OUTSIDE OF THE FORT WORTH LOCAL AIR PROGRAM AND OUR PROGRAM? YEAH, YEAH.
WELL, WE'RE DEVELOPING A PROGRAM OR DO WE HAVE, SO WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING INTO PILOTING AND DEVELOPING A PROGRAM.
SO OUR, OUR LOCAL LEVEL IN TERMS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ARE PLAN OR GOAL IS TO PERFORM THESE VEHICLE INSPECTIONS TO ENSURE THAT THE VEHICLES THAT ARE BEING SOLD TO CITIZENS OR RESIDENTS OF NORTH TEXAS OR CITY OF DALLAS ARE BEING SOLD WITH OPERABLE OR IN GOOD CONDITION EMISSION CONTROL DEVICES.
THE OVERALL PROGRAM IS IMPLEMENTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY DEPART AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TCQ, THE TWO AGENCIES KIND OF OVERSEE THE ADMINISTRATION OF THAT TEXAS ADMINISTRATION CODE 1 1 4.
SO IN TERMS OF, AM I AWARE OF OTHER ENTITIES THAT ARE PERFORMING THESE VEHICLE EMISSION INSPECTIONS? I'M NOT SURE.
UM, I KNOW OUR REGIONAL OR OFFICE AND THE FORT WORTH LOCAL AIR PROGRAM ARE CURRENTLY CONDUCTING THESE MOTOR MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTIONS.
MR. MARQUIS AND THEN COMMISSIONER DUR, A QUICK QUESTION OF CURIOSITY.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THE NORTH TEXAS REGIONALS ENTERTAINMENT? ANY IDEA? I'D HAVE TO LOOP THAT UP.
I, I HAVEN'T, I HAVE A DATE IN MY HEAD, BUT I DON'T WANNA SAY IT 'CAUSE
COMMISSIONER JAROME, GO AHEAD.
SO I HAVE A, I MADE A COMPLAINT.
WE TALKED ABOUT MY COMPLAINT WITH TEXAS READY STORE, UH, AT READY MIX.
I MADE THE COMPLAINT THROUGH 3 1 1 AND I HAVE A VIDEO.
I DID NOT SUBMIT MY VIDEO, BUT MY VIDEO KINDA, UH, SHOWS DIFFERENT WHAT THE INVESTIGATOR CONCLUDED.
YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? AND SO I READ THE CONCLUSION, YOU KNOW, THEY, YOU DIDN'T SEE NOTHING, WASN'T NO OPERATING.
THEY TOLD YOU THEY MAINTENANCE TRUCKS.
BUT IN THIS VIDEO IT SHOWS THIS TRUCK LOOK LIKE IT'S BEEN WORKING ON THAT LOT.
THE SMOKE IS COMING OUT OF IT, THE WHEEL ON THE BACK, THE CONCRETE WHEEL IS SPINNING.
AND SO, UH, IF I HAVE A VIDEO, IF I'M AT A SITE AND I HAVE A VIDEO, DO I SUBMIT THAT TO 3 1 1 OR DO I SUBMIT THAT TO THE INVESTIGATOR WHEN THEY CALL? BECAUSE I READ THE, THE CASE IS CLOSED.
Y'ALL DIDN'T FIND THEM, BUT MY VIDEOS SHOWS SOMETHING IS GOING ON ON THAT LOT.
AND THEN WHEN 3 1 1 REACHED BACK OUT WITH THE CEO, UH, ISSUE, 'CAUSE I WAS LIKE, WHAT UNDER THEY CEO, WHAT ARE THEY, UH, REGULATED TO DO? AND HE WAS THE 3 1 1 SAID THEY REGULATED TO RUN A BUSINESS.
YOU KNOW, SO THEY RUN A BUSINESS UNDER THEY CEO.
SO, I DON'T KNOW, I'M JUST CONFUSED.
I KNOW THE PEOPLE ARE OPERATING WITHOUT A-T-C-E-Q AIR PERMIT.
THEY'RE OPERATING UNDER THE EYE.
I KIND OF CAUGHT 'EM A LITTLE BIT, BUT IF I PROBABLY WOULD'VE WAITED A LITTLE BIT LONGER, DROVE IN A LITTLE BIT LATER, I PROBABLY WOULD'VE CAUGHT 'EM UNDER THE MIXER THING.
BUT THE COMPANY IS OPERATING ON THIS LOT AND I HAVE A VIDEO OF THEM OPERATING THIS TRUCK AND THE STEAM COMING FROM THE TRUCK WHO REGULATES THAT IF THEY DON'T HAVE A AIR QUALITY PERMIT FROM TCEQ AND THEY RUNNING THOSE SEAMEN TRUCKS WITH IN THEM, MIXING IN THEM, BUT THE SMOKE IS, AND THE STEAM AND FURNACE IS COMING FROM THE TRUCKS.
NOW THAT HAS TO BE A VIOLATION SOMEWHERE.
I I, I DON'T, I'M JUST SAYING, I DON'T KNOW.
I, I'M ASKING IS THAT A VIOLATION? BECAUSE THE VIDEO I SHOWED, THE CONCRETE WAS MIXING ON THE THING AND THE SMOKE FRES IS COMING OUT THE TRUCK, UH, THE CEMENT
[01:30:01]
TRUCK.SO I JUST WANNA KNOW, MY TWO QUESTION IS, IS THAT A VIOLATION? AND WHERE DO I SUBMIT MY VIDEO? AND DO Y'ALL USE THE VIDEOS AS AN INVESTIGATION COMMISSIONER? I CAN'T VERIFY, CONFIRM, OR DENY IF THE COMPLAINT WAS RECEIVED BY YOU REGARDING THE ISSUE YOU'RE TALKING OF.
BUT AS FAR AS STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES GO FOR OUR COMPLIANCE PROGRAM, CITIZEN COLLECTED EVIDENCE IS A REGULATED AND, UH, RECEIVED DOCUMENTATION FROM COMPLAINANTS.
UH, COMPLAINANT MAY PROVIDE PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE, VIDEO EVIDENCE, OR SOME SORT OF WRITTEN, UH, WRITTEN STATEMENT OR COMPLETED LOG TO DEMONSTRATE THAT AN ISSUE OR INCIDENT IS OCCURRING.
UM, AS YOU MAY KNOW, UH, OUR INVESTIGATORS CAN'T BE EVERYWHERE 24 7.
SO WE RELY ON OUR CITIZENS TO, OR COMPLAINANTS TO PROVIDE CITIZEN COLLECTED EVIDENCE.
UM, IN THE INSTANCE SCENARIO THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO, UH, THE COMPLAINANT MAY PROVIDE THE VIDEO PHOTOGRAPHIC OR ANY WRITTEN STATEMENTS TO THE INVESTIGATOR.
THAT INVESTIGATOR AT THAT POINT WILL REVIEW AND INCORPORATE THAT EVIDENCE INTO THEIR INVESTIGATION IN THEIR DETERMINATION.
AND COMMISSIONER, I'M SORRY THAT YOU HAD TWO QUESTIONS.
THE ONE ABOUT THE EVIDENCE OPERATE, THEY HAVE CONCRETE MIXER, THE TUNNEL, THEY HAVE CONCRETE VACUUM.
SO THE TRUCK IS OUT AND THE SMOKE IS COMING FROM THE BACK.
THE LITTLE PIPE IS COMING AFTER FOR A TUNNEL.
SO THAT ABOUT, SO COMMISSIONER, JUST TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, YOU'RE REFERRING TO A MOBILE SOURCE, THE ACTUAL VEHICLE IN MOTION OR OPERATION? MAYBE I CAN HELP CLARIFY.
WHAT, WHAT OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES AT A CONCRETE BATCH PLANT FACILITY ARE AUTHORIZED TO OCCUR IN THE ABSENCE OF AN AIR AUTHORIZATION FOR THAT FACILITY? CAN THEY OPERATE THEIR VEHICLES ON THE SIDE? CAN THEY BATCH CONCRETE WITHOUT AN ERROR AUTHORIZATION? CHAIRWOMAN, UH, THE FACILITY IN QUESTION CURRENTLY DOES NOT HAVE A STANDARD PERMIT TO PERFORM CONCRETE BATCHING OPERATIONS.
WHICH, SO DOING SO WOULD BE A VIOLATION? CORRECT.
THAT WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF I CAPTURED CITIZEN SCIENCE DEMONSTRATING THAT VIOLATION CAN BE SUBMITTED ALONG WITH A COMPLAINT.
I MIGHT NEED TO RESUBMIT IT TO TCQ 'CAUSE ACTUALLY I MADE THE COMPLAINT TO TCQI SUBMITTED MY COMPLAINT, THEN I GUESS TCQ SENT IT TO THE CITY OF DALLAS AND THAT'S HOW Y'ALL PICKED IT UP.
'CAUSE I'M, I, I DIDN'T CALL 3 1 1 ABOUT IT.
I, I PLACED THE, UH, COMPLAINT THROUGH TCEQ BECAUSE I'M ALREADY, UH, YOU KNOW, IN LIMBO WITH THE COMPANY WITH TCEQ.
SO WHEN Y'ALL PICKED IT UP, IT WAS A SURPRISING TO ME.
SO YEAH, SEND THOSE VIDEOS DUST DIRECTLY.
UH, BECAUSE LIKE HE SAID, WE CAN'T BE EVERYWHERE ALL THE TIME.
AND I HAVE SEEN VIDEOS THAT HAD PLENTY OF DUST AND I KNOW SOMETIMES OUR INSPECTORS HAVE GONE OUT AND MAYBE AT THAT TIME BECAUSE THE WIND WASN'T BLOWING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, OR, I MEAN, THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT FACTORS WHEN IT COMES TO AIR AND, AND PARTICULATE MATTER.
UM,
IT'S COMING FROM AN ILLICIT DISCHARGE, UH, FROM A FACILITY, YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WATER.
UH, IT DOESN'T TECHNICALLY GO ANYWHERE, BUT WE THERE TIMING'S KIND OF.
SO YES, PLEASE SEND US THOSE VIDEOS.
COMMISSIONER FILE ALSO MAY ADD, UM, THAT ALSO EXPLAIN AND CLARIFY.
SO WHEN THE TCQ TEXAS COMMISSIONER ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY RECEIVED A COMPLAINT, IF THEY HAVE A REGIONAL FIELD OFFICE IN THAT AREA, OR A CONTRACTOR THAT IS LOCATED IN THAT AREA, IT WILL BE ASSIGNED TO THAT CONTRACTOR OR REGIONAL OFFICE.
SO IN THE HYPOTHETICAL SCENARIO, A COMPLAINT WAS COM SUBMITTED TO THE TCQ REGION FOUR OFFICE WHERE THE COMPLAINT IS LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY OF DALLAS LIMITS.
IT WOULD BE REFERRED TO OUR COMPLIANCE PROGRAM FOR ASSESSMENT.
HELLO, UH, THANKS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I I HAVE A, A, A, A FEW QUESTIONS.
[01:35:01]
SAY THAT YOU'VE GOTTEN X AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS THIS PAST YEAR, I ASSUME THOSE ARE ALL INDIVIDUAL COMPLAINTS AND NOT A, UH, IN OTHER WORDS, EACH INDIVIDUAL IS COUNTED AS A COMPLAINT, EVEN THOUGH A FACILITY MAY HAVE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS.AND ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS, HOW MANY OF THOSE COMPLAINTS END UP BEING HABITUAL OFFENDERS, OR WOULD YOU SAY IT'S 5%, 10% NOT MS. BENG? IT WOULD TAKE ADDITIONAL RESEARCH TO ANSWER.
YOUR QUESTION ACCURATELY AND PRECISELY.
I COULDN'T GIVE YOU AN ESTIMATE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I AM VERY CURIOUS TO KNOW, UM, IF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT, HAVE WE CLEARLY COMMUNICATED AS A CITY TO CITIZENS, HOW DO YOU COMPLAIN IF YOU THINK SOMETHING ENVIRONMENTALLY BAD IS GOING IN YOUR BACK, GOING ON IN YOUR BACKYARD AS FAR AS AIR COMPLAINTS, WHAT THEY SHOULD DO TO DOCUMENT IT, THE TIME, THE DATE, IF THERE'S ODOR, IF THERE'S SMOKE, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
ARE WE, DO WE HAVE ANY MECHANISM THAT WE GIVE CITIZENS OR ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM SOMEWHERE SO THEY UNDERSTAND HOW TO ACCURATELY COMPLAIN AND, AND HAVE TIME, DATE, PLACE, ET CETERA, THAT KIND OF INFORMATION? OR DO YOU ALL FEEL THAT NEEDS TO BE BETTER CLARIFIED TO THE PUBLIC? I CAN ANSWER THAT.
UM, I THINK THAT IT'S PART OF OUR ONGOING OUTREACH THAT EVERY DISTRICT AND EVERY MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION SHOULD BE WORKING TO COORDINATE UNDER OUR, UM, AGREED, UNIFIED GOALS THAT WE'RE GONNA DO THAT OUTREACH AND HELP RESIDENTS UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CCAP IS, WHAT OUR OUR AIR QUALITY, UH, CONCERNS ARE HERE IN THE NORTH TEXAS REGION.
WHAT OUR CITY HAS COMMITTED TO DO, AND WHAT RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES CAN DO TO HELP US SUPPORT OUR GOALS.
UM, SO I, I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE'RE THERE AND I THINK THAT A LOT OF OF WORK IS, IS NEEDED, UM, TO DO THAT OUTREACH.
AND SO WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT.
BUT I DEFINITELY THINK THAT THERE'S WORK TO BE DONE ON THAT.
YEAH, BECAUSE, BECAUSE I THINK IT NEARLY, IT NEEDS TO BE CLEARLY POSTED SOMEWHERE AS WELL ON A CITI WEBSITE, UM, AS TO HOW DO YOU, UH, MOST ACCURATELY COMPLAIN ABOUT AN AIR EVENT OR WHATEVER.
AND THEN LASTLY, I JUST WANNA MENTION THIS TO EVERYONE.
UM, THERE IS A VERY, UH, I'M JUST GONNA SAY DAMNING ARTICLE THAT'S BEEN PUT OUT IN THE LAST 72 HOURS REGARDING THE TCEQ AND THEIR MOBILE MONITORING UNITS AND THE LACK OF INSPECTION.
AND I'M GONNA FORWARD THAT TO STEPHANIE AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE FORWARDED.
UM, IT WAS AN INVESTIGATIVE REPORT AND IT'S VERY EYE-OPENING.
UM, SO WE'RE COMING UP ON OUR TWO HOUR MARK AND WE HAVE TWO MORE MEMOS AND ALL OF OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS. SO WE'RE GONNA WRAP THIS UP.
IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR STAFF, PLEASE REACH OUT TO THEM.
UM, I WANNA APPRECIATE YOU FOR SPENDING YOUR TIME WITH US.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PULLING THIS INFORMATION.
I APOLOGIZE ONCE AGAIN FOR THE TECHNICAL ISSUES.
YOU WILL GET, I'M SURE SOME FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS FROM THE, UH, COMMISSION MEMBERS.
UM, IF YOU NEED HELP FIELDING THOSE OR COORDINATING THOSE, PLEASE DO LET ME KNOW.
UM, BUT, UH, THANK YOU FOR SPENDING YOUR BRIEFING WITH US.
APPRECIATE IT AND FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, WE APPRECIATE IT.
ALRIGHT, LET US MOVE ON TO OUR FIRST BRIEFING MEMORANDUM THAT WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY PUT ON THE SCREEN.
I'M GONNA READ THE, THE IMPORTANT PARTS OF THIS 'CAUSE I'M NOT SURE THAT EVERYBODY CAN, UH, READ THAT FONT SIZE AND I, I DON'T WANNA, UH, MOVE IT AROUND AND CAUSE
[01:40:01]
THE SCREEN TO FREEZE AGAIN,SO, UH, JAKE ANDERSON, IS IT JAKE ANDERSON'S WITH US TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
SO LET ME JUST HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS ON THIS, UH, THIS MEMO AS IT PERTAINS TO THE CITY OF DALLAS LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES ON THE ENVIRONMENT.
SO ON OCTOBER 26TH, THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED ITS FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR THE UPCOMING 119TH CONGRESS THAT WAS SENT OUT THIS EVENING, UM, BY OUR BOARD COORDINATOR.
SO AT YOUR CONVENIENCE, YOU CAN REVIEW THAT, THE PARKS, TRAILS, AND ENVIRONMENT, UH, WHICH IS A COWARD COUNCIL COMMITTEE.
THE PORTFOLIO INCLUDES THE SUPPORTING RESOURCE, SUSTAINABILITY, CONSERVATION, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, ENSURING SUSTAINABILITY OF OUR NATURAL RESOURCES, INCLUDING LAKES, RESERVOIRS, AND WATER SUPPLY, AND OPPOSING YOUR REPEAL OF THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT.
ON OCTOBER 8TH, WHICH WAS YESTERDAY, THE CITY COUNCIL WAS SCHEDULED TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF A STATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR THE 89TH TEXAS LEGISLATURE.
AND A COPY OF THAT DRAFT PROGRAM WAS ALSO SENT OUT TO US THIS EVENING FOR YOUR REVIEW AT A LATER DATE.
UH, THOSE RELEVANT PRIORITIES INCLUDE MAINTAINING LOCAL AUTHORITY TO RESPOND TO THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF THE DALLAS COMMUNITY, LEVERAGING SHORT TERM CAR RENTAL TAX FOR PARKS AND TRAILS, AND THEN ENSURING SUSTAINABILITY OF THE STATE'S NATURAL RESOURCES, INCLUDING MARINE INFRASTRUCTURE, WASTE REDUCTION, WEATHERIZATION AND UTILITIES, EFFICIENCIES, DEPLOYMENT OF SOLAR POWER AND ALTERNATIVE FUELED VEHICLES.
SO, UH, WITH US THIS EVENING FROM OUR OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS IS OUR MANAGER OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, JAKE ANDERSON.
I'LL LET YOU, UH, ADD ANYTHING THAT YOU WANTED TO ADD, AND THEN I'LL OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS FOR MEMBERS.
UM, I APPRECIATE YOU, UH, HITTING THOSE, THOSE HIGH POINTS.
WE DO RECEIVE OUR, UM, DIRECTIVES, OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FROM THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, SO THEY JUST VOTED AS, AS THE CHAIR MENTIONED YESTERDAY ON THE STATE PRIORITIES, UM, WITH THE FEDERAL PRIORITIES AND HAVING BEEN VOTED ON A COUPLE WEEKS PRIOR.
UM, THESE ARE THE, THE MARCHING ORDERS THAT WE HAVE AS WE GO DOWN TO AUSTIN AND UP TO DC, UM, STARTING IN JANUARY, UM, AS WE LOOKED LOOK AHEAD TOWARDS THE 89TH TEXAS LEGISLATURE AND THE HUNDRED 19TH CONGRESS.
UM, IF I, I HOPE YOU'VE ALL HAD A CHANCE TO SEE THE, THE MEMO AND TO SEE THE, THE, THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.
BUT I, I WANT, I KNOW THAT, UH, YOU GUYS ARE TIGHT ON TIME, SO ANY QUESTIONS? I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. ANDERSON? UM, DR.
YEAH, I'LL, I WANNA BE BRIEF AND CONSCIOUS OF TIME.
UM, UH, SO DOES THIS MEAN THAT WE WILL BE WORKING WITH OUR DALLAS AREA LEGISLATORS, UH, ON, ON THESE PRIORITIES? UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL CHAIRPERSON IN THE PREVIOUS SESSION, WE DON'T KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WITH THE SPEAKER, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WAS REPRESENTATIVE ANCI, I BELIEVE, AND, UH, HE'S BEEN VERY WILLING TO WORK ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES WITH US.
WE, WE WORK WITH OUR LEGISLATORS, IN FACT, NEXT WEEK, UM, WE'RE HOSTING ALL OF THE DALLAS AREA LEGISLATORS TO, UH, TO, TO INTRODUCE THEM TO OUR PROGRAM FOR THIS, UH, THIS UPCOMING SESSION.
UM, AND OF COURSE, THE SPEAKER RACE IS, IS SOMETHING TO BE FOLLOWING CLOSELY, UM, THAT WE MAY SEE A SHAKE UP IN COMMITTEE CHAIRS IF, UH, SPEAKER FEEL AND LOSES.
BUT IF, UH, SPEAKER FEEL AND REMAINS SPEAKER, WE ANTICIPATE IT'LL BE A LOT OF THE SAME AS FAR AS, UH, WHO'S CHAIRING, UH, COMMITTEES, BUT WE, WE WON'T KNOW THAT FOR SURE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.
SO WE ARE WORKING, UH, WITH DALLAS AREA LEGISLATORS, UM, ON THIS, THE COUNCIL PRIORITIES, MAKING SURE NOT ONLY ARE THEY AWARE OF 'EM, BUT, UM, IN CERTAIN INSTANCES, WHICH BILLS CAN WE LEAD, WHICH, WHICH BILLS ARE, ARE THEY GONNA CARRY WATER FOR THAT, UH, THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS HAS MADE A PRIORITY.
I JUST WANT TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT THIS SUMMER THERE WERE INTERIM HEARINGS, UM, CONCERNING CEMENT KILNS PROMPTED BY THE ONE, UH, THAT'S SUPPOSED TO HAVE A QUARRY OPERATION IN GRAYSON COUNTY, REQUESTED BY LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR PATRICK.
THERE WAS AN INTERIM HEARING ON CONCRETE BATCH PLANTS DOWN IN HOUSTON, AND THERE WAS AN INTERIM HEARING, UH, ABOUT CONCERNS OF BIT MINING AND DATA CENTERS AND THEIR EFFECT ON THE GRID.
SO, UH, I FULLY EXPECT THERE TO BE CEMENT CAN LEGISLATION, NOT SURE ABOUT CONCRETE BATCH PLANTS, BUT I DO THINK THERE WILL BE SOMETHING FORTHCOMING ON DATA CENTERS AND CRYPTOCURRENCY.
SO JUST WANNA LET EVERYONE KNOW, UH, GO AHEAD.
OH, I, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD, OF COURSE, WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO BE HERE TONIGHT, BUT YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE MS. BEVIN WHO'S JUST A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE ON EVERYTHING ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, THAT'S GOING ON AT THE LEGISLATURE.
[01:45:01]
SOMEBODY I KNOW THAT WE CONSULT WITH, SO, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE THRILLED TO WORK WITH HER.UM, AND TO, TO THAT POINT, THE OTHER, THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE WATCHING IS, UM, ANY SORT OF ATTEMPTS TO REDUCE LOCAL CONTROL.
UM, WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE.
BUT, UM, IF, IF YOU REMEMBER LAST SESSION, UM, AS IT RELATES TO ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, ISSUES, THERE WERE GAS POWERED LAWN EQUIPMENT WAS SOMETHING THAT I BELIEVE OUR OFFICE OF, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY WAS LOOKING AT AND LOOKING AT HOW TO REGULATE.
I BELIEVE THE COMMISSION LOOKED AT THAT AND, UM, BEFORE ANY, ANY SORT OF PROGRAM WAS IMPLEMENTED THAT WE WERE PREEMPTED, UM, FROM DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THOSE.
AND SO THERE, THERE'S PROGRAMS LIKE THAT THAT'S, UH, MAY OR MAY NOT, UM, COME UP IN THIS, THIS UPCOMING SESSION, BUT WE DO EXPECT SOME SORTS OF PREEMPTION BILLS, UM, TO BE FILED.
UM, AND SO WE'LL, WE'LL BE WATCHING THOSE.
SO, UH, QUESTION ON HOW THE COMMISSION CAN HELP SUPPORT THESE, UH, LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS.
WELL, I, I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE LOVE WHEN OUR COMMUNITY WANTS TO SUPPORT, UH, WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS IS, IS OUT THERE DOING, AND, UM, I THINK IT MEANS A LOT TO OUR LEGISLATORS TO HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY AND TO HEAR FROM, FROM THE DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY IN, IN YOUR DIFFERENT ROLES.
AND I THINK, UM, IT CAN CERTAINLY MEAN A LOT TO A LEGISLATOR TO HEAR FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.
UM, YOU, I, I, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW ALL OF YOUR ROLES, BUT YOU, I'M SURE YOUR, YOUR COMMUNITY LEADERS, UM, JUST BY SITTING ON THIS COMMISSION, BUT ALSO PRO IN YOUR, IN YOUR DAILY LIVES.
AND SO, UM, IF THERE'S PERSPECTIVES ON HOW, UH, PROPOSED LEGISLATION MAY AFFECT YOU, EITHER POSITIVELY OR NEGATIVELY, UM, NOT ONLY COMMUNICATING THAT OF, OF COURSE, WITH, WITH CITY COUNCIL AND WITH WITH US, BUT COMMUNICATE THOSE DIRECTLY WITH YOUR LEGISL SLATE TOO.
UM, HEARING FROM THE CONSTITUENTS, I KNOW, I KNOW IT'S TRITE, BUT IT, IT IS SOMETHING THAT MATTERS, UM, AND HOPEFULLY MATTERS TO ALL OF THEM, UM, TO HEAR, HEAR FROM THEIR, THEIR, UM, THEIR, THEIR RESIDENTS AND THEIR VOTERS.
SO THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE THE PRIMARY WAY.
BUT THEN COMMUNICATE WITH OUR OFFICE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I SIT ACROSS I FROM MY CUBICLE, I CAN SEE STEPHANIE'S CUBICLE.
SO IF THERE'S EVER ANYTHING THAT YOU GUYS, UH, WANT TO COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY TO OUR OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, UM, STEPHANIE, STEPHANIE KNOWS HOW TO REACH US, UH, SHE CAN JUST HOLLER AND, UM, AND WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY TO, UH, TO, TO DISCUSS THOSE FURTHER.
UM, BUT ANYTHING THAT YOU, THAT YOU MAYBE SEE, HEY, THIS, THIS ISN'T ON THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA THAT WE'D LOVE TO SEE ON THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, THAT HAS TO GO THROUGH COUNCIL.
SO CITY, CITY COUNCIL HAS TO DIRECT US TO, TO ADD THOSE.
BUT YOU'LL, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE LANGUAGE WE INCLUDED IS HOPEFULLY SUFFICIENTLY BROAD, UM, TO ADDRESS THE MAJORITY OF ISSUES THAT MAY ARISE DURING A LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
I DO WANNA GIVE A PLUG TO MS. BING.
SHE IS A TREMENDOUS WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE AT THE, AT THE LEGISLATURE ON ALL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
SHE ALSO HOSTS, UM, A REGULAR CALL TO DISCUSS ISSUES, HOW YOU CAN BE ENGAGED ON THOSE ISSUES.
AND IF YOU WANT TO BE INFORMED ABOUT THOSE CALLS, UM, UH, REACH OUT TO MS. BING AND SHE'LL SIGN YOU UP TO RECEIVE THOSE ALERTS.
UH, VERY HELPFUL RECAPS DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION OF WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT NEEDS A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA SUPPORT.
SO, UM,
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE UPDATE.
ITEM B IS A SEPTEMBER, 2024 AIR SENSOR SUMMIT REPORT.
I WILL, AGAIN, LET ME READ THIS REPORT, JUST THE HIGHLIGHTS, AND THEN WE'LL, UM, ASK ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF THAT'S JOINING US THIS EVENING.
SO IT SAYS, ON SEPTEMBER 19TH, THE CITY OF DALLAS OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY HELD ITS THIRD AIR SENSOR SUMMIT.
THE PURPOSE OF THE SUMMIT IS TO ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS ON THE AIR SENSOR PROGRAMS OR INTEREST IN STARTING A PROGRAM, AND INCLUDED LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, UNIVERSITIES, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, UM, IN THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH REGION.
UM, IN THE FIRST SUMMIT THAT WAS HELD HERE AT DALLAS CITY HALL, THE ATTENDEES RECEIVED AN AIR SENSOR TRAINING, LEARNED ABOUT OUR SENSOR PROGRAMS FROM DFW REGIONAL CITIES AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT FIRST SUMMIT, A PLANNING COMMITTEE WAS FORMED BETWEEN THE CITY OF DALLAS, UT DALLAS, EPA, REGION SIX, THE NORTH CENTRAL COUNCIL, GOVERNMENTS CHILDREN'S HEALTH, TARRANT COUNTY COLLEGE, AND MIDLOTHIAN BREATHE.
AND THAT COMMITTEE CAME TOGETHER TO PLAN THE TWO SUMMITS THAT WE'VE HAD THIS YEAR IN 2024, BOTH IN MARCH AND IN SEPTEMBER.
UM, SO THIS MOST RECENT SUMMIT WAS HELD AT DALLAS EXECUTIVE AIRPORT AND HAD APPROXIMATELY 70 ATTENDEES, INCLUDING STAFF, STUDENTS, UM, AND THE EPA AND TOUCHED ON VARIOUS TOPICS THAT INCLUDE AIR SENSOR LOAN PROGRAMS, UH, EPA, ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE JUSTICE GRANTS, AND THEN HEALTH DISPARITIES RELATED TO CONCRETE BATCH PLANS.
STAFF IS CURRENTLY WORKING TO HOST, UH, ANOTHER SUMMIT IN FISCAL YEAR 24 25.
REMEMBER, THAT'S OCTOBER 12TH, OCTOBER WITH THE FOCUS TO BE DETERMINED.
SO ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT AIR SENSOR SUMMIT AFTER TONIGHT'S
[01:50:01]
MEETING CAN BE DIRECTED TO DIRECTOR EVANS.UH, BUT WE HAVE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, UH, WHITE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL MAY HAVE ABOUT THESE MOST RECENT SUMMITS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? DO WE HAVE A DATE FOR THE NEXT SUMMIT? NOT YET, BUT THAT'LL BE SHARED OUT THROUGH OUR BOARD COORDINATOR.
AND WHAT, WHAT MONTHS HAS IT BEEN NEXT YEAR? UH, IT'LL BE THIS FISCAL YEAR, SO OCTOBER TO OCTOBER.
IS THE REPORT READY YET? UH, WHICH REPORT? THE AIR QUALITY FROM THAT, UH, EXCUSE ME, FROM THE SUM HEAT SUMMIT THAT WE DID, THE, NOT THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC AND, OH, THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND.
I, I KNOW IT TAKES WEEKS, BUT I'M RIGHT, RIGHT.
UM, I THINK WE MAY HAVE A REPORT IN NOVEMBER.
AND I DO WANNA PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, MARISSA FIGGY, UH, SHE, SHE WORKED VERY HARD TO PUT THAT SUMMIT TOGETHER.
UM, SHE'S WORKED ON ALL THREE OF OUR SUMMITS AND, AND SHE'S DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB.
SO JUST WANNA GIVE KUDOS TO MARITA FIGGY FOR THAT ME, PLEASE PASS ALONG OUR CONGRATULATIONS ON A SUCCESSFUL EVENT.
OH, AND SEVERAL COMMISSIONERS WERE THERE ALSO.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR ATTENDING.
I'M NOT SEEING ANY OTHER, LET ME JUST GO FOR THE VIRTUAL ONE MORE TIME.
ABI, IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ALONG TO OUR, UH, DISCUSSION.
I'M ABOUT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A HEADS UP
LET'S MOVE ALONG TO OUR, UM, DISCUSSION ITEMS. ITEM A IS AN INTRODUCTION OF NEW COMMISSION MEMBERS.
WE HAVE A BRAND NEW DISTRICT, ONE THAT'S OAK CLIFF, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER.
AND CATHERINE, I JUST WANT YOU TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND LET US KNOW ABOUT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR, UH, YOUR WORK.
UM, THIS IS EXCITING FOR ME BECAUSE I'VE REALLY BEEN SORT OF AN ACTIVIST IN ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
UM, MY HUSBAND AND I BUILT THE FIRST, UM, COMPREHENSIVE GREEN HOUSE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND, UM, I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT HOW THE ENVIRONMENT INSIDE IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, REALLY DETERMINES ALMOST EVERY QUALITY OF LIFE.
UM, SLEEPING, THE SKIN, YOUR RESPIRATORY HEALTH, AND SO ON.
UM, AND SO JUST BUILDING THAT HOUSE WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS QUITE INSTRUMENTAL.
UM, THE, UM, I GUESS BACKGROUND THAT I HAVE, I HAVE A, A MASTER'S DEGREE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
SO ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IS SOMETHING THAT I'D LIKE TO FIGHT FOR, BECAUSE THESE ARE THINGS, I MEAN, I'M HEARING ALL THESE DIFFERENT, UM, INJUSTICES AND INEQUITIES THAT GO ON AND, AND THEY JUST REALLY, UM, SEEM AS THOUGH WE ARE NOT DOING FAST ENOUGH AND ENOUGH TO MAKE CHANGES.
AND, UM, JUST SPINNING OUR WHEELS AND THIS HOUSING ISSUE AND THE RENTALS AND SO ON WAS SOMETHING THAT, UM, I WAS THINKING BACK IN WEST DALLAS AT LEAST 10, 12 YEARS AGO, WE HAD, UM, LANDLORDS THERE THAT THE CITY HAD TO KIND OF DEAL WITH, AND YET PROPERTY LAWS AND, AND ALL KINDS OF RIGHTS AND SO ON JUST KEEP GETTING IN THE WAY.
MEANWHILE, PEOPLE AND CHILDREN ARE SUFFERING, AND WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY CLOSE TO THE BATCH PLANS THERE.
SO, I MEAN, JUST HEARING ABOUT ALL THESE THINGS THAT I CAN'T WAIT TO GET, UH, DEEPLY, UH, INTO, AND, UH, SO I, YOU KNOW, LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, I WAS TRYING TO, UM, FIGURE OUT HOW THIS WOULD, UH, BE RELATED, BUT, UM, WE HAVE ALREADY DONE THINGS THAT, UM, THIS SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN DONE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
UM, AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO START SAYING THAT WE HAVE AIR QUALITY, UM, IN PUBLIC PLACES THAT, UM, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO, AND WE ARE NOT EVEN AWARE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE, UM,
[01:55:01]
ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO BE EXPOSED.UM, AND WITHOUT KIND OF BELABORING ALL OF THIS, I, I WILL JUST CLOSE BY SAYING I LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, GOING INTO A LOT OF THINGS THAT I'VE ALWAYS WONDERED IF THERE WAS ANY PLACE TO GO AND TAKE THESE THINGS UP.
AND SO I'M SO GLAD TO MEET YOU ALL AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, MAKING TROUBLE.
UH, AS I MENTIONED, UH, REBECCA POST IS NOW OUR DISTRICT 13 COMMISSIONER, YOU'RE WELCOME TO SAY SOME THINGS.
UM, I'M VERY EXCITED
FRIENDS, I DON'T WANNA TAKE TOO MUCH OF OUR TIME, SO JUST HAPPY TO BE HERE AND HAPPY TO WORK WITH EVERYONE.
LET'S MOVE ON TO DISCUSSION ITEM B, WHICH IS APPOINTMENT OF OUR NEW COMMISSION MEMBERS TO SUBCOMMITTEES.
UM, MS. POSTON, YOU WERE PREVIOUSLY A MEMBER OF THE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AND INNOVATION COMMITTEE.
IS THAT RIGHT? OR WERE YOU ON IMPLEMENTATION? SBI WOULD YOU LIKE TO REMAIN ON SBI? LET'S DISCUSS.
BUT I WANNA BE ON THE COMMITTEE, BUT, UM, DEPENDS ON WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE OCCURRING WITHIN EACH OF THE COMMITTEES.
UM, MS. HILLMAN, WE HAVE DISCUSSED AND YOU'VE EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN JOINING THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE.
UM, SO PLEASE MEET THE CHAIR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE SUBCOMMITTEE AT SURVEY ARIEL.
WE CAN CHAT MORE AFTER THE MEETING.
UM, BUT SHE WILL PUT YOU IN CONTACT, UM, WITH THE REST OF THE MEMBERS AND LOOP YOU INTO THEIR NEXT UPCOMING MEETING FOR DISCUSSION.
ITEM C IS OUR MONTHLY SUBCOMMITTEE UPDATES, AND WE'RE JUST GONNA BE VERY BRIEF THIS EVENING.
IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO HAVE A GOAL TO BE DONE HERE BY ABOUT EIGHT O'CLOCK.
AND I THINK THAT WE CAN DO THAT WITH BOTH THE SUBCOMMITTEE UPDATES AND THE DISTRICT UPDATES.
IS SHE TALKING? I DON'T HAVE A MICROPHONE ON.
NO, I JUST SAID THE MEETING WENT WELL.
UH, WE'RE WAITING ON THE CITY COUNCIL TO PUT THAT ON THEIR AGENDA, BUT THEY, THE PRELIMINARY WAS PASSED.
THEY, THEY, UH, WE HAD A LOT OF GOOD POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM IT.
I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED, BUT THEY WERE ALL INTO THANK YOU TO YOU AND DR.
ALABI FOR REPRESENTING THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE, UM, AT THAT CITY COUNCIL BRIEFING.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING AN UPDATE THAT IT'S BEEN ACCEPTED AND PASSED.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE SUBCOMMITTEE MET ON NINE 30 TO RECAP FROM OUR FOOD ACCESS RESOURCE FAIR, WHICH WAS CALLED ON 9 21 IN THE WEST DALLAS MULTIPURPOSE CENTER, WHERE WE, UM, WERE ABLE TO GIVE AWAY PRODUCE FROM NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK TO OVER 200 COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND GOT TO INTERFACE WITH VENDORS, ET CETERA.
WE HAVE, UM, OUR NEXT MEETING IS 10 28.
WE WILL BE MOVING FORWARD WITH A FOOD RESCUE EMPHASIS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR.
UH, UH, IMPLEMENTATION CHAIR WALLACE.
UM, SO STILL NO MOVEMENT ON SOLAR APP PLUS, UH, NO FEEDBACK FROM OEQS ON THAT EITHER.
UM, AND, UH, WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL THAT FOR TWO THINGS, UM, DISTRICT FIVE, UM, AND, UM, STAFF MEMBER AND, UH, COUNCILMAN RESENDS OFFICE HAS CONNECTED US WITH SOMEBODY IN THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT TO BE OUR ADVOCATE AS WE WORK ON, UM, SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT AND ACTUALLY GETTING A POLICY.
AND AT OUR LAST MEETING, EACH ONE OF THE MEMBERS HAS TAKEN ON INVESTIGATING AN A, AN INDIVIDUAL CITY THAT ALREADY HAS PROCUREMENT POLICY.
AND VICE CHAIR OF ARIEL, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE SUCCESSFUL OUTREACH EVENT IN WEST DALLAS.
OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE MET ON OCTOBER 1ST.
IF YOU HAVE NOT COMPLETED OUR OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT SURVEY, YOU HAVE LIKELY HEARD FROM OUR, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBER AT LINDSAY.
UM, LINDSAY IS GONNA CONTINUE TO BOTHER PASTOR AND OTHERWISE ANNOY YOU UNTIL YOU RESPOND TO THAT SURVEY.
SO GO AHEAD AND JUST FILL THAT SURVEY OUT.
[02:00:01]
YOU HAVE HOSTED AN ENGAGEMENT EVENT OR NOT, YOUR INPUT IS VERY VALUABLE AS WE WORK TOWARDS UNDERSTANDING WHAT OUR CHALLENGES ARE, UM, WITH HAVING OUR MEMBERS BE ABLE TO GET OUT THERE AND JUST DO A, UH, AN EASY, UM, ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY.WE ARE ALSO WORKING FOR THOSE NEW MEMBERS WHO HAVE RESPONDED TO THE SURVEY AND SAID, HEY, I DON'T QUITE REALLY FEEL COMFORTABLE GIVING OUT INFORMATION ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION 'CAUSE I'M NEWER, I'M NEWISH, I'M BRAND NEW.
WE ARE WORKING ON AN ORIENTATION.
SO ALL OF OUR NEWER MEMBERS WILL UNDERGO, UH, THE ORIENTATION THAT MOST OF YOU RECEIVED WHEN YOU WERE ONBOARDED.
IF YOU DID NOT OR YOU DON'T RECALL, OR YOU WOULD JUST LIKE THAT OPPORTUNITY, AGAIN, SEND ME AN EMAIL AND I WILL LOOP YOU IN TO THAT OPPORTUNITY THAT'S GONNA BE COMING UP.
IT WILL BE VIRTUAL AND IT WILL LIKELY BE HELD ON A WEEKEND.
SO WE'RE GONNA COORDINATE A DATE THAT WORKS WELL FOR EVERYONE TO DO A VIRTUAL, MAYBE ONE OR TWO HOUR ORIENTATION FOR EVERYONE.
YOU'LL WALK AWAY WITH THE PRESENTATION AND A RUN THROUGH OF THE PRESENTATION WITH SPEAKER NOTES OF THE PRESENTATION THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVING TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
SO, UH, AND WAS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU, LINDSAY, THAT WE NEEDED TO ADD? OH, COMMITTEE CHAIRS.
UH, IF YOU ARE STILL IN NEED OF SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT FOR YOUR ACTIVITIES, YOUR INITIATIVES, YOUR OUTREACH, WHATEVER IT IS, PLEASE PING ME AND LET ME KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE SO WE CAN COORDINATE THAT EFFORT THROUGH THE END OF THE FACILITY.
UH, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AND INNOVATION CHAIR HERE.
UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, IN OUR SESSION, STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, UH, OUR GROUP IDENTIFIED WANTING TO WORK ON INCENTIVES FOR URBAN DO FACTOR.
THE CITY HAS NOT, UM, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO IDENTIFY A PARTNER, STAFF MEMBER TO WORK WITH US ON THAT.
AND I DON'T SEE THAT CHANGING, UH, IN THE SHORT TERM BECAUSE OF THE SIGNIFICANT BUDGET CUTS AND THE SHORT STAFF, UH, NATURE OF DEPARTMENT ALL ACROSS THE BOARD.
UH, SO WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO THAT WORK AS THIS BODY HAS SELF PRIORITIZED.
HOWEVER, I DO SEE AN OPPORTUNITY OF BUILDING ON THE WORK THAT WE DID IN 2023.
YOU'VE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THE BOND RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED, UH, TO INTEGRATE CA PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS INTO THAT SPENDING PACKAGE FOR THE FULL $1.25 BILLION.
UH, AND I KNOW I HAVEN'T HAD A CO AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO DIRECTOR EVANS ABOUT THIS, BUT I KNOW HE WOULD APPRECIATE THIS HELP.
UM, THERE SEEMS TO BE THE BIGGEST GAP AROUND UNDERSTANDING EMBODIED CARBON AND THE CERTIFICATIONS AND DECLARATIONS AND HOW TO DISCLOSE THAT INFORMATION.
THE EPA HAS RECENTLY, UM, RELEASED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF GRANT FUNDING TO NONPROFITS TO HELP WITH THAT EDUCATION AND TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THE CITY MEMBERS HAVE BROUGHT UP IN TERMS OF, UH, EQUITY AND SMALL BUSINESSES AND OTHER SORTS OF THINGS.
SO I'M GONNA SUGGEST, UH, TO THIS COMMITTEE THAT WE PIVOT AND DIG INTO THAT, AND I'LL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH EACH OF YOU TO SEE WHO WANTS TO JOIN THAT EFFORT BECAUSE IT IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE AGREED AT THE BEGINNING THE YEAR.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT UPDATE AND FOR YOUR PERSEVERANCE.
I KNOW THAT IT HAS NOT BEEN AN EASY ROAD FOR YOUR COMMITTEE, UM, BUT I TRUST YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THAT YOU'RE GONNA GET US SORTED OUT ON THAT.
ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO DISCUSSION ITEM D, WHICH IS OUR MONTHLY DISTRICT UPDATES FROM COMMISSIONERS.
LET, LET'S, UH, LET'S, LET'S TAKE YOUR, YOUR HIGHEST AND YOUR BEST DISTRICT ONE IS BRAND NEW, SO WE'RE LETTING YOU OFF THE HOOK.
I DID ATTEND THE AIR QUALITY, UH, MONITORING, UH, DOWN AT REDBIRD, UH, DALLAS EXECUTIVE.
AND, UM, SO I'M GETTING MY FEET WET.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE INITIATIVE TO ATTEND THAT.
ALL RIGHT, I'LL JUST PUSH THE BUTTON.
DISTRICT TWO, NOTHING TO REPORT THIS MONTH.
DISTRICT THREE HAD TO REPORT THIS MONTH.
DISTRICT FOUR IS VACANT, DISTRICT FIVE.
UM, I WAS JUST HUMBLED AND, UH, YOU KNOW, GRATEFUL TO BE INVITED TO A LEADERSHIP BREAKFAST WITH DEFI, SO I WAS ABLE TO MEET SOME, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS.
UM, THERE IS AN ENERGY EFFICIENCY PILOT THAT HAS JUST WRAPPED UP WITH THE CITY, AND, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THOSE.
THERE'S A PRELIMINARY REPORT THAT I CAN SHARE WITH YOU.
UM, AND THEN, UM, JUST REALLY WANT TO, HAVING BEEN TO THE SPEAR, UM, POLICY WORKSHOP A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO IN AUSTIN, UM,
[02:05:01]
WOULD LIKE TO, TO FURTHER LOOK AT TAKING THIS ENERGY EFFICIENCY WORK, UH, TO THE CITY LEVEL, UM, AS SOMETHING THAT STAYS AND IS NOT JUST A PILOT.UH, IT WAS MY PLEASURE TO SPEAK.
UM, SHARING THE YEAR ONE IMPLEMENTATION ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE URBAN AG PLAN AT THE SECOND ANNUAL DIGS SUMMIT AT SMU ON MONDAY.
WE HAD THE EVC, NEW WEBSITE, NEW BANNER, EVERYTHING WAS THERE.
THE CCAP TEAM WAS LOOKING AMAZING.
PLEASE SEE OUR SOCIAL MEDIA FOR PICTURES AND UPDATES.
REBECCA AND THE TEAM DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB WITH VERY LIMITED BUDGET, VERY EXHAUSTIVE TIME, GIFTS TO GIVE, AND, UM, LOTS OF CONNECTIONS WERE MADE AND GROWERS WERE INSPIRED.
IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT IMPLEMENTATION YEAR TWO.
THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING THE COMMISSIONER THAT EVENT.
UH, SO I ATTENDED THE FOOD ACCESS EVENT FOR, UH, VICE CHAIR OF MORALE.
UH, I ATTENDED NATIONAL NIGHT OUT WITH COUNCILMAN AMBASSADOR, UH, WHERE I WAS ABLE TO, UM, DISTRIBUTE A FLYER ABOUT ME AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER OF DISTRICT SEVEN.
SO, UH, COUNCILMAN GOT A VAN, WE MET HER AT THE CITY, AND WE WENT TO ALL THE NATIONAL NIGHTS OUT IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
SO I PRINTED UP MY FLYER AND I WAS ABLE TO TALK TO A LOT OF, UH, COMMUNITY RESIDENTS AND TELL THEM ABOUT ME.
THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT A ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER WAS.
SO I WAS ABLE TO INTRODUCE SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES TO ENVIRONMENTAL AND WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL LOOKED LIKE IN THE DISTRICT, IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
SO I DID THAT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, AND I ALSO GIVE OUT FOOD EVERY THIRD, UH, TUESDAY OF THE MONTH IN JAPE.
I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS NOW FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
AND SO I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW, I'M CONTINUING TO, YOU KNOW, CONTRIBUTE TO THE FOOD ACCESS AND THE DROPPER COMMUNITY.
OH, SO ON OCTOBER THE 25TH, THIS IS THE, UH, TEXAS STAR READY, UH, MC, UH, LLC.
THEY GO UP IN FRONT OF TCEQ, OCTOBER THE 25TH FOR THEIR AIR QUALITY PERMIT.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S OPEN UP FOR COMMENTS, BUT IF YOU COULD, I HAVE THE NUMBER, I'M GONNA READ IT OUT TO Y'ALL.
Y'ALL CAN LOOK IT UP ON THE TCEQ.
UM, THE NUMBER TO THE CASE IS 1 7 1 6 3 6.
THAT'S THE PERMIT NUMBER FOR OCTOBER THE 25TH.
I WENT EPT, I WENT IN AUGUST IN PERSON, BUT THIS, UH, MONTH, UH, I'M GONNA GO ONLINE.
IF GO ON THERE AND LOOK, I DON'T KNOW IF THE, UH, COMMENTS ARE OPEN, BUT IF THEY ARE, EVERYBODY GIVE A COMMENT AGAINST IT.
UH, SO WHAT WE CAN, CAN THEY OPEN THE SUBMISSIONS ONLINE? I'LL FIND OUT.
BUT BECAUSE THE, UH, GAF UH, TCQ HEARING IS ON THE 24TH, AND THIS ONE'S ON THE 25TH, I'LL PUT TOGETHER AN EMAIL WITH BOTH PERMIT NUMBERS WITH INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW COMMISSION MEMBERS CAN, UH, GO IN AND GIVE COMMENTS ON THOSE VIRTUALLY OPPOSITION.
DISTRICT EIGHT, I ATTENDED THE NIGHT OUT OCTOBER 1ST, AND THE NIGHT OUTS ARE GOOD FOR NEIGHBORHOODS IF YOU, A LOT OF MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ANYBODY.
THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE TO CALL FOR WHAT, AND THE NIGHT OUTS GIVES YOU A FACE TO PUT WITH THESE PEOPLE.
UM, I ALSO DID ATTENDED THE AIR QUALITY SUMMIT AND THE LAST THING, UM, OH, AND, UH, AN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FAIR THAT WAS HELD AT UNT DALLAS.
UM, AND, UH, THEY'RE WILLING TO COME OUT TO COMMUNITIES AND CERTIFY PEOPLE AND BE CPR.
AND THEN A LOT OF, UH, THEN THE OTHER, THE OTHER THING I DID, WE'RE WORKING, I'M WORKING ON WORK WITH LAURIE BLAIR, SHE'S RUNNING IT, THE LEAD ON IT.
BUT THE REASON I WAS SO INTERESTED IN THE MISSIONS AND ALL THAT WITH COMMERCIALS, HOME DEPOT WAREHOUSE ON HAMPTON, UH,
[02:10:01]
THERE'S A COMPANY NEXT THAT HAS PURCHASED SOME LAND NEXT TO THEM.THEY GO ALL OVER THE COUNTRY DOING THIS, AND THEY'RE GOING TO PURCHASE THE LAND NEXT DOOR TO HOME DEPOT'S WAREHOUSE AND LET HOME DEPOT RENT FROM THEM.
SO WE HAVE POTENTIAL TO HAVE 300 MORE 18 LEADERS GOING DOWN HERE.
AND RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF 18 LEADERS.
THEY CLAIM THAT, UH, THE ISSUE IS RIGHT NOW, HOME DEPOTS, THEY HAVE TO TAKE THE CABIN PART, UH, ON THREE 10 AND THEN COME BACK AND THEY SAY THEY'RE DOING, THEY'RE TRAVELING 10 MILES.
SO THIS WAY THEY CAN JUST DROP THE CABIN OFF AND DO THAT ONE TRIP.
BUT ACROSS THE STREET IS, UH, UPLIFT.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT'S MAKING US SHAKING OUR BOOTS A LITTLE BIT.
THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE ON THAT UPDATE.
I'M DISTRICT NINE THIS MONTH I ATTENDED, UH, WITH SEVERAL OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION AND, UH, PERFORMANCE OF WONDERFUL CLIMATE PLAY CALLED I AM AN ISLAND, UH, BY THE WATERING HOLE COLLECTIVE.
AND, UH, PARTICIPATED AS A PANELIST ALONG WITH MR. ROBERTSON.
UH, MR. MARQUIS, UM, UH, TO DISCUSS, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, ISSUES IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UM, I'LL ALSO BE A PANELIST THIS MONTH AT SMU IMPACT TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT CCA.
UM, AND THAT'S GONNA BE ON OCTOBER 24TH AND FOUR TO 6:00 PM AND I'LL SHARE THAT, UM, MEETING INVITATION OUT WITH ALL OF YOU.
DISTRICT 10 IS DISTRICT 10 TALKING.
DID YOU SAY? NO REPORT, ANDREW.
UM, I CONTINUE TO GET REQUESTS TO DO, UH, PRESENTATIONS ON, UH, UH, HEALTH DISPARITIES, THE ENVIRONMENT.
ALABI AND I ARE PRESENTING A WORKSHOP ON UPDATES ON ASTHMA THAT WILL INCLUDE ENVIRONMENT, THE ENVIRONMENTAL DATA AT THE TEXAS PEDIATRIC SOCIETY AT HOUSTON ON THE 24TH.
UM, I'M ALSO GOING TO BE PRESENTING AS THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT A CONFERENCE DECEMBER THE THIRD IN BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, UH, AND ANOTHER ONE IN VEGAS IN THE SPRING.
UH, AND I WANT TO THANK, UH, COUNCIL, UH, PUBLICLY THANK, UH, COUNCIL PERSON, MENDELSON, UH, MY COUNCIL PERSON FOR HER SUPPORT ON, UH, THE PASSING OF THE, UM, AND HELPING TO PASS THE, UM, UH, THE, UH, VAPING, UH, PASSING IT OUT OF COMMITTEE.
SHE WAS VERY VOCAL ABOUT THAT.
AND, UH, ALSO, UM, UH, I REPORT ON, UH, KELO GARDEN.
UH, YOU FOLKS REMEMBER MY WIFE AND I WERE THERE VIRTUALLY EVERY SUNDAY.
THE ONLY PLACE IN THE WORLD WHERE YOU CAN SLING DIRT AND IT'S A GOOD THING.
AND, UM, WE WERE HARVESTING, UH, LAST WEEKEND.
UM, WE'VE PRODUCED NOW IN FOUR MONTHS OF OPERATION.
THAT GARDEN HAS PRODUCED A THOUSAND POUNDS OF PRODUCE.
AND, UM, WE, UM, WERE TOLD BY OUR DISTRIBUTION SITES NOT TO GIVE THEM ANY MORE, MORE BASIL BECAUSE WE HAD IT TOO MUCH.
AND, UM, LAST WEEK I KNOW WE, WE UH, WE HARVESTED ABOUT 20 POUNDS OF OKRA.
AND, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER RE AND I ARE PLANNING A CHOPPY MAMA FARM AND TEMPLE SHALOM JUSTICE GARDEN EXCHANGE PROGRAM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT UPDATE.
UM, HEY, JUST A QUICK INVITATION TO EVERYBODY.
UM, THE MASTER NATURALIST HAS STARTED A NEW PROGRAM.
IT'S CALLED WELLNESS AND NATURE, AND THESE ARE COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS DESIGNED FOR ANY AGE GROUP WHERE WE TALK ABOUT THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF BEING IN NATURE, AND THEY INCLUDE GUIDED MINDFULNESS SESSIONS IN NATURE.
SO IF YOU'VE GOT ANY COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT YOU THINK MIGHT ENJOY THIS, LET ME KNOW.
UM, AND WE WOULD LOVE TO TALK AND HELP.
DISTRICT 14, NO REPORT TONIGHT.
WE'RE TRYING TO WRAP THIS UP SO I WON'T SHARE ALL THE DETAILS, BUT LAST TIME I JOINED YOU, I WAS IN MONTREAL AT THE INTERNATIONAL FOR CITIES INNOVATE FOR CITIES CONFERENCE.
UM, CO-HOSTED BY THE GLOBAL COVENANT OF MAYORS FOR CLIMATE AND ENERGY AND UN HABITAT.
UM, TWO WEEKS AGO I WAS IN NEW YORK CITY FOR CLIMATE WEEK, NEW YORK CITY.
UM, AND BEFORE THAT, THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY SCIENCE SUMMIT,
[02:15:01]
ALL OF THOSE UPDATES AND INSIGHTS RELATIVE TO THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING HERE, CLIMATE AND BRAIN HEALTH, WHICH I'VE SHARED WITH THIS GROUP BEFORE, UH, ARE POSTED ON MY LINKEDIN PROFILE.DO ANY MEMBERS OF OUR TECHNICAL PANEL HAVE ANY? OH, UH, VICE CHAIR, YOU HAVE AN UPDATE.
ON BEHALF OF CANDACE THOMPSON, I WOULD LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE DATES FOR THE SOUTH DALLAS PROPER MIDDLE SCHOOL YOUTH POETRY JAM ON THE THEME OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE WILL BE SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23RD FROM 10:00 AM TO 1:00 PM INFO ON HOW YOU CAN GET YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS AND ALL TO SIGN UP WILL BE FORTHCOMING FROM MS. THOMPSON.
WE'RE MOVING ON TO OUR TECHNICAL PANEL.
JACK AND MS. BE THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT IN A GIANT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FOR ALL WHO CARE ABOUT EQUITABLE ACCESS TO THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF GREEN SPACE IN DALLAS.
IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE NEWS THIS WEEK, THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND, THEY'RE A STATEWIDE NONPROFIT THAT MANY OF US KNOW THEY'RE COMMITTED TO, UM, EQUITABLE ACCESS TO GREEN SPACE.
AND MOLLY MORGAN HAS BEEN AN INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND SHE WAS JUST ANNOUNCED AS THE STATE DIRECTOR AND SHE HAS JUST BEEN LEADING THE CHARGE WITH TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND, UM, WITH A FIVE MILE CREEK GREEN BELT AND OTHER GREEN GREEN INITIATIVES IN DALLAS.
SO, BIG SHOUT OUT AND WE HOPE TO BRING HER TO SPEAK BEFORE THE COMMISSION, I THINK SOMETIME SOON.
THANK YOU, MS. BE, OOPS, HANG ON.
I JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A HEARING ON NOVEMBER 6TH IN AUSTIN, WHICH IS A HYBRID VIRTUAL MEETING AND A MEETING IN ARLINGTON ON NOVEMBER 14TH REGARDING TCQ RULEMAKING ON EXISTING OIL AND GAS FACILITIES.
EPA HAD COME OUT, UH, WITH NEW RULES TO REDUCE EMISSIONS ON NEW OIL AND GAS FACILITIES.
SO THIS ONE'S ON EXISTING ALL, UM, I'LL FORWARD, UM, THE NOTICE TO CATHERINE.
SO SHE'S PUTTING TOGETHER A LIST OF DATES FOLKS MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THAT THEY CAN CONTACT ME ON.
THAT PROBABLY APPLIES MORE TO THE BARNETT SHELL IN ARLINGTON THAN DALLAS.
AND ALSO, UH, PUT MARCH 1ST ON YOUR CALENDAR, GUYS.
THERE'S GONNA BE AN ENVIRONMENTAL ONE DAY CONFERENCE ON SATURDAY, MARCH 1ST.
UH, IT'S GONNA FOCUS ON AIR AND WATER, AND I'M ORGANIZING IT FOR AN ORGANIZATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. MARQUIS.
I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME PERFORMING AND READING ALL OVER THE PLANET, AND, UM, EACH TIME I DO, I HAVE A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT THIS COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, WORK WE'RE DOING IN DALLAS, TEXAS AND SPREADING THE WORD ABOUT THE GOOD WORK WE'RE DOING HERE.
AND, UH, SO ALSO WANTED MENTION, I THINK IF WE WANT TO REALLY GET OUR NEW MEMBERS UP TO SPEED, WE'LL LOCK IN A ROOM WITH AITA FOR A COUPLE HOURS, AND I THINK WE'LL PRETTY MUCH TAKE CARE OF IT.
IF WE JUST GET PEOPLE IN THE ROOM WITH AITA, WE WORK ON 'EM, THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD GET 'EM READY TO GO.
AND THEN MS. MINIO STILL MUTED.
ELLEN
UH, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU DAVE MARCUS FOR INVITING ME TO HIS, HIS, UH, PRESENTATION AND AN INTRODUCTION TO HIS NEW BOOK.
HAD A WONDERFUL TIME AND, UH, HAD A GREAT, GREAT, UH, WONDERFUL AUDIENCE.
I ALSO WANTED TO SHARE JUST SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT WE'RE UP TO AT, UH, IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL SPACE WITH MY COMPANY.
WE JUST SECURED, UH, FINANCING FOR THREE NEW DEVELOPMENTS.
AND WE'RE GONNA BE DOING ALL NET ZERO HOMES AND ROUGHLY ALL NET ZERO READY HOMES UNDER A CERTIFIED, UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY.
AND ROUGHLY HALF OF THOSE WILL PROB MORE THAN LIKELY BE NET ZERO.
AND WE'RE ABOUT TO COMPLETE FOUR HOMES.
UH, AND BOTH OF THOSE TWO OUT OF THE FOUR ARE GONNA BE NET ZERO.
SO THERE'S GOOD THINGS HAPPENING IN THE MARKET WITH REGARD TO PEOPLE'S AWARENESS, AND PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO PLOP DOWN MONEY AND BUY THESE HOMES.
AND SO I THOUGHT I'D SHARE THAT BIT OF GOOD NEWS.
'CAUSE IF I'VE BEEN IN THIS SPACE FOR A VERY LONG TIME, AND I THINK LIKE WE'RE MAKING SOME POTENTIALLY MARKET BREAKTHROUGHS, I KNOW WE, WE ERR AT THE COMMISSIONER,
[02:20:02]
FORCED TO HEAR STORIES ABOUT BAD PLAYERS AND DIFFICULTBUT THERE ARE GOOD THINGS HAPPENING.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UH, UH, LISTENING AND, AND, AND, UH, SHARING WHAT'S GOING ON AND, AND ALSO KEEPING ME INFORMED WITH REGARD TO WHAT SOME OF THE PROBLEMS ARE THAT WE GOTTA DEAL WITH, UH, AS, AS A CITY.
OKAY, SO ONLY THING, WE HAVE THE ZERO WASTE, UM, EVENT.
IT IS A BLOCK PARTY THAT WE'VE BEEN INVITED TO, SO WE WILL BE SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMMISSION AND TALKING ABOUT, UM, ZERO WASTE TO THE COMMUNITY AND GIVING OUT SURVEYS.
SO WE'LL BE GETTING SOME GREAT FEEDBACK ON THAT.
AND WE'LL SHARE THOSE DETAILS OUT WITH THE REST OF THE COMMISSION, UM, THIS WEEK.
ALRIGHT, UH, 8 0 1, WE ALMOST MADE IT YOU GUYS.
UH, THAT'S THE LAST OF OUR DISTRICT UPDATES FROM COMMISSIONERS.
IF YOU HAVE DATES, IF YOU HAVE EVENTS, PLEASE SEND THOSE TO ME.
I WILL DO MY VERY BEST TO COMPILE THEM AND GET THOSE OUT TO EVERYONE SO THAT WE ALL CAN ADD THOSE TO OUR CALENDARS AND SHOW UP TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER AT THESE EVENTS AND TO REPRESENT THE COMMISSION AND SHARE ABOUT THE CCAP.
DISCUSSION ITEM E, OUR UPCOMING MEETINGS, THE PARKS TRIALS AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE, UH, WILL MEET ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH, 2024.
OUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING OF THE DALLAS ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WILL BE ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13TH AT 5:30 PM UH, AS WE CONCLUDE THIS EVENING, PLEASE BE SURE THAT YOU'RE KEEPING OUR NEIGHBORS IN FLORIDA IN YOUR THOUGHTS.
UH, AS WE'VE PROBABLY ALL SEEN AND HEARD, UH, THIS STORM HAS BECOME VERY STRONG, UH, BECAUSE OF THE WARMTH OF THE, THE WATERS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO, WHICH IS A CLIMATE ISSUE.
UM, AND SO JUST BE BE THINKING OF THEM TONIGHT AS THAT STORM MAKES THEM FALL AND OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS AS THEY, UH, RECOVER.
ALL RIGHT, THIS CONCLUDES OUR BUSINESS.
SO I WILL TAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.