Texarkana will soon be welcoming an industry with more jobs back to the region.
Alcoa plans to reopen a casting house to meet demands for metal slab for the automotive industry.
It would create up to 80 new jobs with more than $3 million in wages in the community.
However, a former Alcoa employee is expressing concerns over how the plant could affect health and safety.
After being idle for seven years, Alcoa Incorporated is expected to be back online in January.
"That's a tremendous boost to the local economy," said Jerry Sparks, Texarkana, Texas Economic Developer.
Sparks worked with leaders of Nash and Bowie County to bring Alcoa back to Nash.
He says the corporation left due to a downturn in the international economy.
The city is now considering providing Alcoa with $250,000 in incentives from the city's economic development fund.
"Based upon an agreement that the City Manager will enter into with Alcoa, it could be used for training of employees as an example," said Sparks.
Former Alcoa employee Vic Brown doesn't believe the corporation, which has unlimited resources, should receive city incentives.
"we had a violation out there, a willful violation, that was intentionally being done by the casting department manager," said Brown.
Brown says he reported an environmental permit violation in 2008 and is concerned in may happen again.
He says the plant is very close to Nash Elementary School.
"Those children out there are unknowingly being contaminated, when Alcoa goes outside its permit numbers, like they did," explained Brown.
Meanwhile, Sparks says Alcoa does not have any open items before the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
"Our research shows that all the air permits are in place for the operation of this plant and there are no outstanding violations," said Sparks.
City officials could vote on the incentives at the October 12th or the October 26th meeting.
Source: Ktps.com
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