Detroit residents voice concerns about air quality near Stellantis plant
A town hall held by Eastside Climate Action Coalition saw a full house on Wednesday, as Detroiters gathered to talk about trucking and air pollution in their area.
High Rates of Asthma Hospitalizations
“They drive really fast, and they drive down residential streets – which both is an air quality issue, but it’s also a safety issue,” said Erin Stanley, a member of the Eastside Climate Action Coalition.
The town hall discussed the steady flow of trucks from auto plants on Detroit’s east side.
“We have the highest rates of asthma hospitalizations in the state in this zip code,” Stanley said.
Lack of Restrictive Trucking Ordinances
The City of Detroit does not have the same kind of restrictive trucking ordinances that other big cities have.
Concerns about Air Quality
Long-time Detroiter Loretta Powell lives three minutes away from the Stellantis Jefferson North Assembly Plant. She took part in an air quality control test, conducted by the Eastside Climate Action Coalition.
For months, Powell said, the air quality tested moderate to poor.
“I’m very concerned for myself (and) the community because I’m a community leader. I’m very concerned about what’s going on in our neighborhood, and also the people who have been living here for so long, around the plants.”
Efforts to Address Air Quality
Groups like Just Air spoke of the technology they’re using to take on the issue of air quality control and motivate stakeholders to activate change.
“We set up cameras to actually look at truck traffic autonomously. So that can help enforce idling – how much trucks are going down a certain route. But also, because we have the monitoring, we can connect the pollution data with the time of the truck passing by the camera,” said Darren Riley with Just Air.
Previous Air Quality Issues
Fox 2 has previously covered air quality issues in and around the Jefferson North plant. Many have complained about the fumes and air pollution concerns.
A pollution complaint filed in 2021 was validated in March of this year, when the automaker was ordered by state regulators to pay almost $85,000 in fines for air quality violations in its paint shop.
Stellantis responded to the latest violation, saying in part, “both plants have been in compliance with their respective permits for more than six months. Further, ambient air monitoring data continues to demonstrate that the air in the neighborhood is consistent with other areas of the city and is well within the applicable U.S. EPA National Ambient Air Quality Standards.”
New Trucking Ordinances
In the meantime, the Detroit City Council members in attendance at the town hall on Wednesday said they are actively drafting new trucking ordinances to be voted on.
The headline of this story has been updated to better reflect the content of the article.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
- SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- SDG 13: Climate Action
The issues highlighted in the article are related to air pollution and its impact on the health and well-being of Detroit residents. It also addresses the need for sustainable cities and communities by discussing trucking ordinances and their impact on air quality. Additionally, it touches on climate action by mentioning the use of technology to monitor pollution data.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination.
- SDG 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.
- SDG 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.
The article highlights the need to address air pollution and its impact on health, which aligns with SDG 3.9. It also discusses the importance of improving air quality in cities, which relates to SDG 11.6. Furthermore, it mentions the use of technology to monitor pollution data, indicating efforts towards integrating climate change measures, as stated in SDG 13.2.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Number of asthma hospitalizations in the affected area (indicator for SDG 3.9)
- Air quality control test results (indicator for SDG 11.6)
- Pollution data collected through monitoring technology (indicator for SDG 13.2)
The article mentions that the affected area has the highest rates of asthma hospitalizations, which can be used as an indicator to measure progress towards reducing illnesses caused by air pollution (SDG 3.9). The air quality control test results mentioned by a resident can be used to assess improvements in air quality (SDG 11.6). Additionally, the use of monitoring technology to collect pollution data can be an indicator of efforts to integrate climate change measures (SDG 13.2).
4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination. | Number of asthma hospitalizations in the affected area |
| SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities | 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management. | Air quality control test results |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning. | Pollution data collected through monitoring technology |
Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.
Source: fox2detroit.com
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