DALLAS — Judge Gena Slaughter granted a temporary restraining order requested by the Medisend College of Biomedical Engineering Technology in Northeast Dallas. In granting the order, Slaughter asked that the city improve dust control protocols in a lot next door where storm debris cleanup operations are underway to comply with environmental regulations.
Slaughter said the order doesn't force the city to halt storm debris cleanup operations entirely and that the city won’t be prevented from hauling material that was already ground at the site away.
The school filed for the temporary restraining order after they said the cleanup operations caused sawdust to clog air conditioning units and forced them to cancel classes. The vocational school teaches military veterans how to repair, maintain and calibrate medical equipment.
“I do think this is not stopping those operations, but the city needs to work on dust control,” said Slaughter. “Whatever’s being done is not sufficient.”
Rodriguez said representatives from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality inspected the site recently and the city didn’t receive notice that the operation was not in compliance with regulations.
She said the city had taken steps, including moving some equipment, repositioning their loading and unloading point away from the school, and shutting down operations when wind speed is greater than about 25 mph, in response to the school's complaint.
Slaughter also recommended both sides meet to discuss ways to end the dispute.
A temporary injunction hearing in the case is set for July 22.