Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Residents, health advocates press board on Covanta/ReWorld permit after planning commission tables request
Summary
State Representative Melissa Orpiza and community advocates urged the Kansas City, Kansas Board of Education to note neighborhood safety and health concerns after a nearby chemical-recycling firm’s special permit was tabled for 30 days by the Unified Government planning and zoning commission.
Representative Melissa Orpiza told the Kansas City, Kansas Board of Public Education on Aug. 12 that residents near John Fisk and Morris Early Childhood Center are worried about a proposed Covanta/ReWorld chemical-recycling facility and related truck traffic.
“I'm in strong objection,” Representative Orpiza said, urging the district and community to organize against the permit application while she cited county health rankings and past complaints about the company’s operations in other states.
Board members heard two additional public comments and a public-health presentation from RISE for Environmental Health. Speakers described immediate hazards such as fires or spills, and chronic risks linked to toxic emissions; Beto Lugo Martinez, RISE’s policy and research director, told the board that the project could generate “1,226 trips a day” and said that trucking and rail traffic would add hazardous air pollutants and noise.
Wh…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
