Laredo City Council approves mayor’s proposal on toxic emissions

LAREDO, TX. (KGNS) - Air quality continues to be a concern for many residents in northwest Laredo especially in regard to the emission of ethylene oxide.

However, a proposal during Monday night’s City Council meeting could reshape the future of environmental regulations in Laredo.

Laredo Mayor Dr. Victor Trevino proposed the creation of a specific zoning classification for businesses that emit toxic emissions.

In the end, the council voted to move forward with the plan by creating a special zoning team.

This was a move by the council that Trevino said could provide peace of mind to many Laredoans.

After eight votes in favor and none against, the mayor and council members approved creating a special zoning team that would lead the efforts into a new land use policy.

Mayor Dr. Trevino said it is time that the city placed regulations on businesses that emit toxic emissions.

“We do have the ability to say that you have an overlay and a condition to meet, that if you are going to put a factory in one of these zones it cannot produce any toxic emissions,” said Dr. Trevino.

“We need to make sure that in order to protect our citizens from pollution is that we need to have some special kind of zoning right now,” said Vanessa Perez.

Ideally, under Dr. Trevino’s proposal, the land use policy will properly designate areas that should be separated from residential areas and schools.

This new policy would only be for future businesses and not ones that area already has operating in the Gateway City.

The Rio Grande International Study Center, a group that has advocated for stricter regulations on ethylene oxide emissions, is happy to hear about the proposal.

Aside from strict policies, they also want strict consequences once the policy is officially finalized.

“I feel that a business should be fined for doing something like that,” said Sheila Serna with the Clean Air Coalition.

An update on the creation of the special zoning team approved on Monday is expected during the next council meeting.

During Monday’s City Council meeting, it was mentioned that the state allows a business that emits toxic emission to be no closer than 50 feet from residential areas; however, Trevino did not mention what would be the ideal distance for the new policy.

The proposal was also co- sponsored by councilmember Vanessa Perez.

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