Neighbors ask Texarkana to investigate noise and smoke from Tri State facility; city agrees to gather data and contact ADEQ

Several residents told the board that operations at a nearby industrial site — identified in public comment as "Tri State" — produce noise, smoke and odors that disrupt daily life and harm residents' health and quality of life.

A public commenter said the activity included cutting with torches and persistent fumes that she said made it impossible for a senior neighbor to sit on her porch. "We know the smell," the commenter said. "We know they're polluting the land. We know the smoke. We know the sound."

City staff responded that the city does not regulate air quality — that is within the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and, at a higher level, the Environmental Protection Agency — but staff said the city has been taking noise‑level readings at various times of day to document compliance with the local noise ordinance. "We've been out taking noise level readings at various times during the day, morning, midday, evening," a city staff member said, adding that the results so far had not shown ordinance exceedances at the times measured.

Staff said they would compile the relevant ordinances and enforcement thresholds and would reach out to ADEQ so the state agency could evaluate air‑quality and pollution concerns; residents asked to be involved in evidence gathering and monitoring to ensure any state response is legitimate and transparent. The board agreed staff would provide a written report and copies of the compiled ordinance guidance to members and would coordinate with ADEQ.

Next steps: city staff to provide the board with a compiled ordinance packet and noise‑reading data, to engage ADEQ for air‑quality review, and to include community representatives in monitoring and follow‑up.