Cancer concerns dominate Sun City meeting

West Valley residents hammered away at state officials in Sun City Tuesday during a permit hearing for plant that they fear will release a potentially cancer-causing substance into the air.

The hearing at Talisman Hall in Sun City concerned a renewal permit for a transmix plant at 12126 W. Olive Ave. in El Mirage. Transmix plants separate gasoline from diesel fuel, a process that involves the release of a carcinogen called benzene into the air and possibly the groundwater.

While Arizona Department of Environmental Quality officials assured those in attendance that the permit meets all health and safety standards, Youngtown Mayor Mike LeVault remained unconvinced.

"I would like, on the record, to request the department write me a letter assuring me this plant is safe for my residents," LeVault said. "Specifically, I’m talking about air pollution and water contamination."

LeVault said he was disappointed to hear Air Quality Permits Section Manager Trevor Baggiore say the permit had already met all requirements for approval.

"It seems to me the cart is in front of the horse here," LeVault said. "It concerns me that you would come to that conclusion before hearing from the public. The fact is, Youngtown is about a half mile from that plant. My house is about a sixth of a mile from it. It very much affects us."

Shirley McDonald, chair of the Joint Environmental Task Force, said she is concerned not only for the health of the nearby residents but also that of the workers at the plant.

"The plot of the model for benzene for this plant shows excessive levels over most of the plant area," she said. "There should be a process in place to warn citizens of this state who happen to work at these plants. They should not have to find out the hard way. ADEQ should not issue a permit where there is a threat of leukemia for the workers."

When the hearing was over, LeVault told Baggiore and the other ADEQ employees he harbored no ill will toward them.

"I don’t blame you, I know you’re not legislators," LeVault said. "But my point is, the rules defy common sense sometimes. I’m a big commerce guy, and you can do all the business in the world as far as I’m concerned but if people are dying then what’s the point? It just does not make sense."