Storm Debris Cleanup Causes Chaos in Dallas

The aftermath of the May 28 storm in Dallas has left a trail of destruction, with widespread damage from downed trees and power lines affecting over 650,000 homes and businesses in North Texas. As the city works to clear the debris, a new challenge has emerged: the dust from grinding storm debris is causing problems for a nearby vocational school.

Debris cleanup efforts in Dallas

Medisend College of Biomedical Engineering Technology, located near the temporary maintenance site where the debris is being processed, has taken legal action against the city to stop the grinding of debris. The school alleges that sawdust from the grinding has clogged its air conditioning system, forcing it to cancel classes and close its doors.

“The problem now is we have a class coming in two weeks of 12 students,” said Medisend CEO Nick Hallack. “We don’t know whether we can bring them in or not.”

The city has set up a temporary operation on 12 acres of vacant land behind the college to process the debris, but the school claims that the dust from the grinding is causing problems for its students and staff.

Air conditioning unit affected by sawdust

City officials have agreed to a site visit to assess the concerns and efforts to mitigate the accumulation of dust. In the meantime, the city has sent two water trucks to suppress the dust.

The dispute highlights the challenges of cleaning up after a major storm, and the need for careful planning and coordination to minimize the impact on nearby communities.

Storm debris cleanup efforts

The city’s operation on Greenville Avenue was set up to tackle the aftermath of the May 28 storm, which caused widespread damage from downed trees and power lines. The city received temporary approval from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to process the debris on May 31, which will be in effect until August 26.

The cleanup efforts are likely to cost the city $8.3 million, and sanitation workers say they will complete the first round of storm debris removal by July 26.

As the city works to recover from the storm, the dispute between Medisend College and the city serves as a reminder of the importance of careful planning and coordination to minimize the impact on nearby communities.