LACY LAKEVIEW, Texas (KXXV) — Neighbors packed the Hilton Waco Monday night for a public hearing about a proposed concrete batch plant in Lacy Lakeview, marking another step in a lengthy approval process that has been ongoing for more than 3 months.
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The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) held the public meeting for the plant's air quality permit at the request of Waco State Senator Brian Birdwell. The proposed facility would be located at 408 South Lacy Drive.
TCEQ officials said the plant needs to meet state and federal requirements before moving forward.
Residents attended the hearing to ask questions and voice their concerns about the project.
"What type of guarantees that we're gonna have as residents there within the city that those filtration systems that you're gonna put in place initially are gonna be remaining in place throughout?" one resident asked.
Opposition came from the Village Square Apartments on Meyers Lane, a complex next to the proposed plant site that houses more than 200 residents.
"This proposed concrete batch plant will adversely affect the lives, health and well-being of my residents," a representative for the apartment complex said.
The representative outlined multiple concerns about the facility's potential impact on the business and residents.
"This proposed concrete batch plant will clog our air conditioners and impose additional maintenance burdens, burdens on my team and me. This proposed concrete batch plant will make it harder to rent apartments, affecting my business. This proposed concrete batch plant will adversely and materially impact the value of our apartments," the representative said.
Representatives for LGS Precast LLC, the company behind the proposal, maintain that the site will not negatively impact the community. According to TCEQ, LGS Precast LLC does not own any other batch plants.
"We are confident that this facility will be safe for on-site workers, neighboring properties, and the surrounding community," said a representative from an environmental consulting firm working with LGS Precast.
TCEQ has found some deficiencies that the company will need to correct to meet requirements.
"LGS Precast is proposing a small batch plant that will meet or surpass all TCEQ requirements," the consulting firm representative said.
The public comment period for the permit application remains open until Dec. 18. After that closes, TCEQ will prepare a response-to-comments document addressing all feedback received.
TCEQ officials said it will be at least 90 days before a decision is made on the air quality permit for the batch plant. The agency has already received a request for a contested case hearing.
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