New York City’s Department of Transportation is in discussions on the possibility of building an asphalt plant in Flushings, Queen.
The asphalt plant proposal has been controversial since it was introduced last year because of its location in an area between downtown Flushing and Shea Stadium. That region is earmarked for commercial and residential revitalization in Flushing’s master plans.
The construction of the plant has been postponed for at least a year pending further review of the proposal.
“I am happy to see that the DOT will delay the plan for at least one year to allow for a more thorough review of the impact that this proposal will have on our community,” Liu said.
He said there is a lot of opposition to the plant being built because it would counter efforts to deindustrialize that part of Flushing.
Richard Grace, president of Grace Industries, which operates an asphalt plant next to the proposed facility, says that the city’s claim that it will save money by owning and operating its own asphalt plant to compete with other asphalt producers in the area is a faulty argument.
They decided that they want to get rid of the RAP (recycled asphalt concrete) so they want to go into the business,” Grace says.
However, the costs to operate the plant, in Grace’s opinion, would not save the city any money, compared to other operators. “They think they can own and operate (a plant) and compete against the private sector. I don’t think they can beat us on price.”
According to local new reports, New York City DOT officials said asphalt production would be cleaner and emissions would be lower in the region.
DOT officials said the new plant would incorporate more recycled materials in its production of asphalt and operate with stricter emissions than federal regulations dictate.
However, Grace notes that his company already takes in a fairly significant amount of recycled material, as does other plants in the area.
While the city is presently considering the possibility, Grace plans to discuss the feasibility of the project with the city, as well as consultants that the city hopes to hire to determine the economic viability of the project.