* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [Press Conference: "Landfill Application Withdrawal and Environmental Issues"] [00:00:18] GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, I'M PLEASED TO BE JOINED BY OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY MENEFEE, OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE PENNY SHAW. AND I WANT TO GIVE A REALLY A SHOUT OUT TO COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECK, WHO HAS WORKED HAND IN HAND FOR YEARS NOW TO OPPOSE THE ENLARGEMENT AND THE INCREASE IN THE SIZE OF THE HAWTHORNE PARK. UH, LITTLE HISTORY. I WAS A YOUNG STATE REPRESENTATIVE IN THE MID SEVENTIES WHEN, UH, FIL UH, WASTE COMPANY MADE THIS A TYPE FOUR LANDFILL SHOULD HAVE BEEN STOPPED THERE, BUT WITH WEAK STATE LAWS. UH, IT WAS APPROVED. AND THEN A COUPLE YEARS AGO, THE NEIGHBORHOOD CONTACTED, UH, THE THREE OF US AND, AND, UH, OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO INCREASE THE SIZE. AND, UH, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GO LOOK AT THE CARDALE COMMUNITY. IT'S BEEN NEGLECTED FOR YEARS. UH, I DON'T KNOW WHY IT WOULDN'T EVEN BE INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL LIST OF COMPLETE COMMUNITIES. COMMUNITIES THAT NEED SPECIAL ATTENTION. ACRES HOME IS ON THE EAST SIDE OF HEMPSTEAD HIGHWAY. YOU CROSS AND YOU ARE IN CARDALE. VERY PROUD COMMUNITY. A LOT OF HISTORY THERE. BUT YOU HAVE OPEN DITCHES, ILLEGAL DUMPING, AND THEN THIS VERY HARMFUL LANDFILL. UH, I COULD SHOW YOU INSTANCES OF A HOLMES' BACK DOOR ON THIS WALL, AND LITERALLY THE PILE OF GARBAGE AND CEMENT AND DEBRIS THIS CLOSE TO A FAMILY. SO WE ALL MARSHALED. OUR RESOURCES TESTIFIED, I'M GONNA YELL IN A MINUTE TO OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY WHO EFFECTIVELY WENT TO COURT. REPRESENTATIVE SHAW AND I HAVE APPEARED TOGETHER AT NUMEROUS TOWN HALL MEETINGS. SO TODAY WE GOT NOTICE THAT AT ONE 40 WASTE MANAGEMENT, ALSO THEIR PROPER CORPORATE NAME WOULD BE USA WASTE OF TEXAS LANDFILLS INC. WITHDREW THEIR APPLICATION. IT'S REALLY SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE FOR THE CARDALE RESIDENTS. AND I WOULD SAY ALL HOUSTONIANS. 'CAUSE IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF HOW IF WE WORK TOGETHER, DIFFERENT LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT WORKING ACROSS THE AISLE, IT DIDN'T MATTER THAT AMY PECK IS A PROUD REPUBLICAN. WE DEMOCRATS WORKED WITH HER TO OPPOSE THIS INCREASE IN THIS LANDFILL. WE MARCHED. IT SHOWS WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD CAN DO. I'VE GOT SOME GREAT PHOTOS OF US BEING OUT THERE ON A HOT SATURDAY MORNING WITH OUR SIGNS PROTESTING. SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO, BUT THIS IS A GREAT VICTORY FOR CARDALE. IT SHOWS HOW IF WE WORK TOGETHER IN UNITY COLLABORATION, WE CAN BLOCK THINGS. WE CAN INFORM THE PUBLIC, WE CAN GO TO AUSTIN AND FIGHT. I WOULD ALSO EMPHASIZE, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL EQUALITY AND JUSTICE YESTERDAY AROUND THE HORSESHOE. THAT WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN A FIGHT LIKE THAT. WE ACTUALLY STOPPED A BATCH PLANT IN ACRE HOME JUST A FEW YEARS AGO USING THE SAME MODEL, COMING TOGETHER, OPPOSING IT, ORGANIZING AND PROTESTING AND GOING TO COURT. SO I'M VERY EXCITED. I HAD TO GET ELECTED MAYOR . BUT, UH, THIS IS A BATTLE THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN FOR, FOR YEARS. AND SO LET ME, UH, YIELD BEFORE WE ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS TO OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY, UH, TO GIVE US THE STATUS OF, UH, NOW HOW DO WE GET OUTTA COURT TO YOU SHOWN US, SIR, IT HAS TO, OBVIOUSLY, IT'LL GO IN EFFECT ABOUT 24, 48 HOURS FROM NOW. WE'LL HAVE TO GO TO, UH, THE STATE OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGES TO DISMISS, UH, OUR PROTESTS THERE. BUT, UH, I CAN SAFELY SAY THAT, UH, WASTE MANAGEMENT IS PULLED OUT OF THEIR APPLICATION, WHICH LET ME ALSO EMPHASIZE IS A GOOD MODEL OF CORPORATE HOUSTON. UNION PACIFIC NEEDS TO BE LISTENED. THIS IS A WAY RESPONSIBLE CORPORATIONS MAKE A WISE DECISION. SO WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE ENJOY THIS VICTORY DEMONSTRATION OF EFFECTIVENESS. AND THEN WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO BLOCK BATCH PLANTS, DEAL WITH THE CANCER CLUSTER, AND JUST MAKE HOUSTON A BETTER PLACE [00:05:01] AND DEAL WITH QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES. LET ME, UH, YIELD THIS TIME TO OUR ABLE COUNTY ATTORNEY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, MAYOR, I THINK WHAT WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE TODAY IS THAT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IS A CONTINUING FIGHT. AND RIGHT HERE, HOUSTON IS ONE OF THE GROUND ZEROES OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN THIS COUNTRY. UM, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN THE COMMUNITY WAS MAKING NOISE ABOUT THIS, AND THEY REACHED OUT TO REPRESENTATIVE PENNY MORALE SHAW, AND THEY REACHED OUT TO BOB BULLARD OVER AT TSU, THE FATHER OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. AND THEY REACHED OUT TO THEN SENATOR WHITMEYER. WE COLLABORATED WITH THE COMMUNITY AND AT VARIOUS LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, UH, TO GET IN THE COURTROOM. AND WHAT MY OFFICE DID WAS HIRE EXPERTS, UH, REVIEW HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PAGES, UM, AND THEN DO EVERYTHING WE COULD TO PERSUADE WASTE MANAGEMENT TO DO THE RIGHT THING. AND SO I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE TODAY IS SOMEBODY WHO SUES COMPANIES OFTEN OVER TCEQ, UH, UH, PERMITS. WE DON'T GET A LOT OF WINS IN THIS SPACE. AND SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS REPRESENTATIVES AT VARIOUS LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE COMMUNITY, UH, TO GET A CORPORATION TO DO THE RIGHT THING. AND SO I AM PROUD TO BE STANDING HERE WITH THE FOLKS WHO HELPED IMPACT THIS ISSUE. AND A SPECIAL THANK YOU, OF COURSE TO ERNST TTR AND, AND DEBORAH BAKER. UM, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, UH, COLLABORATION ON BOTH SIDES OF THE OWL. HARRIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER TOM RAMSEY WAS, WAS INTEGRAL, UH, ON THIS LEGAL EFFORT. UH, AMY DANON LONE STAR LEGAL AID. AND THEN OF COURSE, THE FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY, MS. MYRA JEFFERSON, DR. VICTOR HEBERT, DAMIEN LAWSON, THE CARDALE CIVIC CLUB, THE GREATER MACEDONIA BAPTIST CHURCH, AND ALL OF THE CARDALE, UH, COMMUNITY. IT'S GONNA TAKE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US AT EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT TO CONTINUE COLLABORATING, UH, TO ENSURE THAT EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THIS COUNTY HAS THE ABILITY TO BREATHE CLEAN AIR AND CLEAN WATER. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH FOLKS AT EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT WITH THE EPA, WITH THE STATE, NO LONGER THE STATE, BUT THE STATE. AND OF COURSE NOW WITH, WITH OUR NEW MAYOR IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON. THANK YOU, REPRESENTATIVE SHAW. YES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK. YES, YOU WERE THERE EACH AND EVERY DAY. THANK YOU. PENNY MORALES, SHAW STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR HOUSE DISTRICT 1 48. I SERVE ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS COMMITTEE AT THE STATE HOUSE AND HAVE FOR TWO SESSIONS NOW. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ANOTHER SESSION COMING UP. UH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT COMMITTEE, BECAUSE WE HAVE THE PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY AND OUR, WE HAVE, UH, A CITY AND A COUNTY THAT'S GROWING IMMENSELY, AND NO ONE'S BRINGING LAND, WATER, OR ANYTHING ELSE WITH THEM WHEN THEY COME TO OUR CITY AND COUNTY, WE WELCOME EVERYONE, BUT WE HAVE THESE KINDS OF ISSUES. IF THIS IS SOMETHING YOU WOULD'VE LOOKED AT, YOU WOULD HAVE AGREED WITH US MM-HMM . THAT THIS WAS NOT APPROPRIATE. THIS PERMIT WAS NOT APPROPRIATE. IT MAY HAVE BEEN APPROPRIATE 20 OR 30 YEARS AGO, UH, WHEN THERE WERE PASTORS OUT THERE, BUT NOW IF YOU GO OUT TO THAT AREA, WHICH IS IN-HOUSE DISTRICT 1 48, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE'S MASSIVE URBAN SPRAWL. THERE ARE COMMUNITIES ALL AROUND IT. THE HISTORICAL COMMUNITY OF CARDALE, OF COURSE, IS THERE. UH, AND THIS WOULD DID NOT MAKE SENSE. THIS PERMIT WAS ASKING, UH, FOR ALMOST UNLIMITED RAIN, UH, TO BE THERE. AND I THINK IT WAS FOR 40 YEARS OR SOMETHING. MM-HMM . IT, IT WAS FOR A LONG TIME. UH, AND I, I WANNA APPLAUD WASTE MANAGEMENT FOR LISTENING MM-HMM . FOR HEARING THE COMMUNITY, FOR HEARING THE ELECTED OFFICIALS. I HOPE I, AND I IMPLORE THEM TO CONSIDER DISMISSING THIS CASE WITHOUT PREJUDICE. RIGHT. BECAUSE WE, WE DON'T WANT THIS TO COME BACK. I THINK THE VOICES HAVE BEEN LOUD AND CLEAR THAT THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT PLACE FOR A HAZARDOUS, POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS TO THE RESOURCES IN THAT AREA, THAT KIND OF LANDFILL. IT'S NOT AN APPROPRIATE AREA. SO I WAS MORE THAN HAPPY TO BE ON BOARD IN THIS FIGHT. AND I THANK THE TCEQ ALSO FOR ALL OF THEIR HELP IN THIS ISSUE. UH, THEY ALWAYS TRY TO TAKE REASONABLE MEASURES, AND THIS IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THEM. SO I, I THINK ALL, A LOT OF THE PARTIES HAVE BEEN MENTIONED THIS HAS, THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAY FROM THIS IS THIS WAS A MASSIVE JOINT EFFORT MM-HMM . BY SO MANY PARTIES. UH, AND OF COURSE, CARDALE CIVIC CLUB WAS IN THE, ONE OF THE FORE RUNNERS IN THIS BATTLE. UH, BUT ALSO THERE WAS PRIVATE INDUSTRY. THERE WAS HOPE, HEALING AND HOOVES THAT PAID COUNSEL TO FIGHT THIS CASE BECAUSE THEY KNEW THE HAZARD. IT COULD BRING TO THE, TO THE RESOURCES, TO THE ANIMALS THAT THEY HAVE THAT ARE STILL IN THAT AREA. UH, BUT THERE WERE SO MANY PARTIES, LIKE YOU SAID, MYRA AND, AND, UH, LONE STAR LEGAL AID DID A TREMENDOUS JOB AT THE LAST HEARING. UH, IT WAS, WE WERE ALL IN COURT, AND IT GOT RESET FOR JANUARY, AND WE'RE ALL KIND OF ON THE EDGE OF OUR SEATS, UH, WAITING FOR THE HEARING BECAUSE WE WERE ALL ANTICIPATING ATTENDING AND ARGUING THE CASE, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND HOPING THAT THE JUDGE WOULD RULE IN OUR FAVOR. SO YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW HAPPY WE ARE THAT, THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT, BUT ALSO THAT THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T HAVE TO DO THAT. THEY DON'T HAVE TO EXPEND MORE RESOURCES, MORE TIME. UH, THIS IS, THIS IS A TREMENDOUS BURDEN FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE TO GO TO WORK EVERY DAY. UH, THEY HAVE TO TAKE [00:10:01] CARE OF THEIR KIDS. UH, THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER ISSUES TO WORRY ABOUT BESIDES FIGHTING, UH, A CORPORATE PLAYER, WHICH IS IN ITSELF A MASSIVE TASK. SO, UM, YEAH. I'M, I'M SUPER HAPPY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. AND NO ONE SHOULD LIVE UNDER THE STRESS OF THAT THE CARDALE RESIDENTS HAVE HAD. AND WHAT I PRACTICE REGULARLY IN AUSTIN IS TO TRY TO PUT AN IDENTITY, PUT A FACE ON THE ISSUE. MS. UH, JEFFERSON, MS. JEFFERSON, SHE CAME OFF WITHOUT HER HEARING AID. SHE TOLD ME, OKAY, I'M SO SORRY. WHY DON'T, WHY DON'T WE LI LISTEN TO SOMEONE? WE DID OUR JOB, BUT HERE'S WHEN THE BENEFICIARIES ON IN, IN REPRESENTING THE COMMUNITY. YOU WANT TO, UH, TELL THE, UH, PEOPLE OF HOUSTON WHAT THIS MEANS TO, TO YOUR FAMILY. AND, UH, CARVE IT DOWN. SHE CAME DOWN ON HER OWN. SHE'S SO EXCITED. AND THE COMMUNITY IS DEFINITELY COMMUNICATING. AND, UH, WE'RE NOT SATISFIED. WE DON'T THINK A LANDFILL, IT'S OUTLIVED, ITS USEFUL, BUT WE SURE AS HECK WANNA CELEBRATE THE BLOCKING OF THE INCREASE IN SIZE, WHICH WAS GONNA BE FOR MANY YEARS. IT'S A HEALTH ISSUE. IT'S A SELF-ESTEEM ISSUE TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. OH, YES. AND SO, YES, YES TO THE, THE FLOORS HERE. MS. JEFFERSON, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER. I'M JUST HAPPY TO BE HERE. WE'RE SO THRILLED. CARDALE IS THRILLED WITH THIS RESULT. AND, UM, UH, JUST LIKE, UH, MAYOR WHITMAR SAID, THE BATTLE IS NOT OVER BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY CAN TRY AGAIN. YOU KNOW, THEY CAN TRY TO, UH, UH, CONSTRUCT THIS FACILITY IN, UH, IN CARDALE AGAIN, BUT IT WOULD HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, BE FIVE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD. AND BY THEN, WE'LL, WE'LL DEFINITELY BE READY FOR THEM. WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN WORK WITH, UH, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO COME UP WITH SOME STRATEGIES TO KEEP THAT FROM HAPPENING. AND, UH, WE'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO TALKING TO HIM. THE COMMUNITY IS LOOKING FORWARD TO TALKING TO, UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER AND, AND WORKING WITH HIM. HE, UH, HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH, IN, IN OUR FIGHT THE ENTIRE TIME. HE CAME AND WALKED WITH US IN OUR PROTEST ON TANA ROAD FROM TANA ROAD TO GESNER. AND HE STAYED AND HE PICKETED WITH US. HE AND, UH, OUR COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, AMY PECK, THEY HAVE STOOD BY US THE ENTIRE TIME, AND I'M JUST THRILLED TO BE HERE. I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T KNOW IF I COULD, UH, BE PRESENT, ATTEND THIS OR NOT. I, I GOT A, A NOTICE, UH, ON MY EMAIL FROM, UM, UH, ATTORNEY, UM, AMY, KATHERINE DEN. SHE, UH, IS WITH LONE STAR LEGAL AID, AND SHE REPRESENTED ME PERSONALLY AS A CLIENT OF LONE STAR LEGAL AID. AND, UM, AND, UH, AND SHE SENT ME THIS EMAIL. I WAS SO EXCITED TO GET IT THAT, UM, OH, THAT, THAT, THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I JUST, I JUST CAME ON DOWN, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THIS MEANS SO MUCH TO CARDALE. YOU KNOW, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, UH, WE BELIEVE THAT THE, THAT IF, IF, IF THEY COULD, IF, IF THE CITY OF HOUSTON COULD EMINENT DOMAIN THOSE STREETS AND, AND, UM, AND, AND, AND THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T, THEY CAN'T BUILD THE LANDFILL IF THOSE STREETS ARE GONE. AND, AND THEN MAYBE THE, THE, THE, THE, THE LANDFILL COULD BE DECLARED A BROWNFIELD AND, AND, AND FINALLY CARDALE COULD GET SOME COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, SOME TYPE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, REALLY NEEDS THAT TYPE OF THING. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU, YOU COME ANYTIME. AND WE HAVE THE CITY ATTORNEY, ARTURO MICHELLE, READY TO HELP. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU GOT A LOT OF FIREPOWER RIGHT HERE. YES, SIR. WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE. THANK YOU. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, AND CARDALE HAS BEEN NEGLECTED AND IT NEEDS A COMMUNITY CENTER. IT NEEDS TO, WE NEED TO ATTACK THE ILLEGAL DUMPING AND OTHER HEALTHCARE CONSIDERATIONS. WITH THAT SAID, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? IF NOT, WE'RE EXCITED TO BE HERE THIS AFTERNOON. I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE WINTER STORM COMING UP NEXT WEEK, OR HOW ARE YOU GUYS PREPARING FOR THAT? UH, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS ARE, ARE WORKING AS WE TALK. UH, I'M GONNA GET A BRIEFING TOMORROW AT ONE, AT THE EMERGENCY CENTER, BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE WARMING CENTERS, AT LEAST SIX PLUS. I UNDERSTAND LAKEWOOD IS OPENING ITS DOORS, SO WE WANT TO THANK THEM AND WE WANT TO CAUTION EVERYONE. IT WILL BE VERY DANGEROUS TEMPERATURES. UH, WATCH FOR BROKEN PIPES, LISTEN TO PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS AND, UH, BE SAFE. IN FACT, I THINK I'M, UH, ANXIOUSLY WAITING TO SEE WHAT SOME OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS DO. SO IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS, YOU GOTTA BE PREPARED AND, UH, LOOK OUT FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOUR PETS, YOUR PLANTS AND WHOEVER. I'M LEAVING OUT THE ROAD ROADS, MA'AM. THE ROADS. THE ROADS, YES. YES. [00:15:01] TXDOT, I'M CERTAIN TO BE OUT PUBLIC WORKS IS PREPARING. SO IT'S A, IT IS A CALL TO DUTY AND, UH, REMEMBER THAT WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION AND WE'LL BE MORE, UH, PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS AS WE GO FORWARD. MAY I ASK, I'VE GOT ONE QUESTION ON THE LINE, PHIL, UM, WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, KNOWING THAT IT'S NOT YOUR, UM, YOU DON'T HAVE FIRSTHAND INFORMATION, BUT HOW MUCH OF THE, UH, DECISION TODAY DO YOU ATTRIBUTE? DO YOU, DO YOU ATTRIBUTE TO THE LAWSUIT AND THOSE ONGOING EFFORTS? HOW MUCH DO YOU ATTRIBUTE TO YOUR NEW POSITION AND THE ASSOCIATION OF THIS? I, I THINK ALL THE ABOVE. EXCELLENT LEGAL WORK BY THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. VERY GREAT REPRESENTATION BY STATE REPRESENTATIVES. JARVIS JOHNSON. I SHOULD GO AHEAD. ED SHEILA JACKSON LEE, OUR CONGRESSWOMAN PARTICIPATED EARLY IN THE, IN THE FIGHT. UH, BUT AMY PECK, UH, WAS WILLING TO WORK WITH US. SO IT'S, THE COLLABORATION IS JUST A REAL EXAMPLE OF HOW GOVERNMENT SHOULD WORK. SO, UH, I THINK THE LEGAL, THE LAWSUIT AND THE, AND THE REQUEST FOR INFORMATION MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE. YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO THANK MY GETTING ELECTED MAYOR, UH, KNOWING THAT WASTE MANAGERS, ONE OF OUR LARGEST CARRIERS IN THE CITY, KNEW THAT THEY HAD A REAL ADVOCATE FOR THE COMMUNITY. NOW, IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, NOT TO MENTION, UH, NOT TO DISRESPECT THE, THE PREVIOUS, UH, WORK OF OTHER MAYORS, BUT, UH, I'M AT, I'VE BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS FIGHT, MY WHOLE LEGISLATIVE CAREER. UH, I WAS SHOCKED THAT THEY WOULD TRY TO PULL THIS, BUT WE REALLY HAD, AS, AS REPRESENTATIVE SHAW SAID, WE HAD OTHER BUSINESSES. WE HAD THE FAITH COMMUNITY. WE HAD A REAL COMING TOGETHER FOR IN FACT, CENTERFIELD, THE ORIGINAL FOUNDER OF THIS LANDFILL, LARRY MARTIN JOINED US BECAUSE HE FELT A RESPONSIBILITY THAT THIS WAS NEVER WHAT HE ENVISIONED WHEN HE GOT HIS PERMIT IN ABOUT 76, I CAN RECALL GOING TO THOSE HEARINGS. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, BOB BULLOCK, THE VERY TOUGH LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR TAUGHT ME IN THE EARLY NINETIES WHEN HE WAS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR. IT'S AMAZING WHAT YOU CAN GET DONE IF YOU DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHO'S GONNA GET THE CREDIT FOR IT. AND I THINK WE, WE ALL ECHO THOSE, THAT SENTIMENT. SO WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER. WE GOT OTHER BATTLES TOO. AND THE COUNTY ATTORNEY MENEFEE COULD SPEND THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON TALKING ABOUT THE BATTLES WE HAVE ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND EQUALITY. AND PARTICULARLY AS IT PERTAINS TO BATCH PLANS. THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION IS AT THE STATE LEVEL, ELECTIONS MATTER. AND SO WE HAVE TO GET DECISION MAKERS IN AUSTIN THAT MAKE THE APPOINTMENTS IN AUSTIN TO TECQ TO BE MORE SENSITIVE TO OUR URBAN SETTINGS. YOU KNOW, AND, AND HERE'S THE PROBLEM. WE'RE SO DIVERSE AS A STATE. WHAT MIGHT BE ACCEPTABLE IN A RURAL AREA OR SMALLER COMMUNITIES JUST DOESN'T WORK IN AN URBAN SETTING LIKE HOUSTON. SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO, TO UNITE AND, AND FIGHT THESE INVASIONS OF OUR COMMUNITIES. IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST WRONG. UH, THE PROPOSED BATCH PLANT NEAR THE LBJ HOSPITAL IS JUST UNCONSCIONABLE. IT JUST DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY. BUT WE'RE NOT SHY ABOUT SPEAKING OUT AND FIGHTING. AND TODAY'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF SUCCESSFUL GOVERNMENTAL LEVELS COMING TOGETHER. I HAVE ONE SMALL FOLLOW UP SURE. ON THE WASTE SIDE. UM, DO, DOES THIS, UM, DOES THIS CHANGE IMPACT THE AVAILABILITY OF, UH, LAND POST SPACE IN A WAY THAT, LIKE IS THE CITY GONNA HAVE TO LOOK FOR? NO, THIS WAS, THIS IS A TYPE FOUR. IT'S, IT'S DRY GARBAGE. UH, IT'S MOSTLY INDUSTRIAL WASTE, UH, CONCRETE, OTHER ITEMS, BUT IT STILL CREATES A HORRIBLE RODENT, UH, COLLECTION OF WATER MESQUITE. IT INTERFERES WITH THE DRAINAGE OF THE OPEN DITCHES. LET ME JUST TELL YOU, YOU NEED TO, YOU NEED TO GO DRIVE CARBONDALE IF YOU WANNA SEE A NEGLECTED COMMUNITY. AND MY JOB IS TO SHARE THAT CONDITION WITH ALL HOUSTONIANS. YOU KNOW, THESE ARE OUR, THESE ARE OUR FELLOW HOUSTONIANS. THEY'RE THE PEOPLE WE WORK WITH. WE GO TO CHURCH WITH PEOPLE IN CARDALE. YOU GOTTA GO LOOK AT THE CONDITIONS AND IT'S JUST WRONG. AND, UH, WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER AS I KEEP EMPHASIZING, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT HURTS. CARBONDALE SHOULD HURT ALL OF US. AND IF WE TAKE THAT ATTITUDE, WE'RE GONNA REALLY IMPROVE HOUSTON WITH THE ENVIRONMENT, INFRASTRUCTURE, ILLEGAL, DUMPING THE DARN LANDFILL. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MOSQUITOES. IT'S JUST A HEALTHCARE CONCERN. AND, AND PARTICULARLY THE YOUNG PEOPLE, THE SELF-ESTEEM TO HAVE TO GO BY THAT. UH, ANYWAY, I'M, UH, I'M GONNA START PREACHING IN A MINUTE 'CAUSE IT JUST BOTHERS ME THAT YOU GET IN THIS COMMUNITY AND YOU GO, YOU WANNA, YOU WANNA HEAR ONE, THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT FOR MEMORIAL CITY [00:20:01] STOPS AT CLAY ROAD. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE BEGINNING AFTER CLAY ROAD IS? IT'S CARDALE. SO WE GOT A MANAGEMENT DISTRICT OF MEMORIAL CITY. WE KNOW HOW NICE IT IS. CLEAN, SAFE, GO NORTH ON GASTER TILL YOU GET TO CLAY ROAD, WHERE THE LA WHERE THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT ENDS. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS NORTH OF THERE? CARDALE AN IGNORED, UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY. AND I'VE ALREADY SPOKEN AS A SENATOR TO THE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT. CAN'T YOU GO AT LEAST OVER TO HEMPSTEAD HIGHWAY AND INCLUDE CARDALE? HCB HAS A HUGE DISTRIBUTION CENTER JUST IN THE EDGE OF CARDALE. I'VE ACTUALLY TALKED TO THEM AS A CORPORATE, AND THEY'RE VERY RESPONSIBLE CORPORATION. THEY DO A LOT IN THE COMMUNITY. GO LOOK AT THE CONDITIONS IN CARDALE, PARTICULARLY THE, THE STANDING WATER JUST IN EVERY DIRECTION FROM THIS LANDFILL. SO ANYWAY, UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. THAT'S WHY I RAN FOR MAYOR IS QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES, IS GOVERNMENT SERVICE, INFRASTRUCTURE. AND, UH, WE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO, BUT WE, I'VE GOT SOME GREAT PARTNERS AND THAT'S SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE TODAY. THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.