Justice for Beniteau Residents
The area surrounding the Stellantis' Jeep plant in Detroit is covered in an overwhelming odor.
Residents who live near the stinky new Jeep plant in Detroit now have two more resources to address the pungent, headache-inducing paint odor.
Stellantis NV, formerly known as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, launched a hotline to report odors emanating from the year-old Jeep Grand Cherokee assembly plant. The toll-free line is (833) 310-2313.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) on Wednesday launched a website focused on air quality issues at Stellantis’ facilities in Michigan.
EGLE recently issued two air quality violations for the odor and excess emissions at the Detroit plant and one for the Warren Truck Assembly Plant.
“Several air quality violation notices were recently issued to the company,” EGLE said in a statement Wednesday. “In order to provide the public with an accessible way to see what EGLE’s Air Quality Division is doing in regard to air quality inspections, tests, permits and outstanding violations and enforcement actions, if applicable, the comprehensive Stellantis webage was recently launched.”
The site provides information on the violations and Stellantis’ response to them.
Fed up with the odors, neighbors collected more than 5,000 signatures on a petition that calls on Stellantis to meet with Detroit residents “to negotiate for environmental and health protections for area residents.”
Residents tried to deliver the petitions in person at Stellantis’ headquarters in Auburn Hills, but they were turned away by security.
Residents have been complaining for months about an overwhelming stench emanating from the plant. The area around the plant also has some of the highest asthma hospitalization rates in the state.
While investigating, state environmental regulators filed a violation notice for paint odors of “moderate to strong intensity.” The stench is “objectionable and of sufficient intensity, duration and frequency to constitute a violation” and an “unreasonable interference with the comfortable enjoyment of life and property,” the notice states.
Stellantis responded by saying it has taken steps “to minimize odors.”
"FCA is monitoring the painting process equipment very closely to identify any operating conditions which might cause odors to escape into the general building atmosphere and potentially be discharged through the building ventilation system," Mack plant manager Michael Brieda wrote in a letter Monday to EGLE's Air Quality Division.
Stay connected with Detroit Metro Times. Subscribe to our newsletters, and follow us on Google News, Apple News, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Reddit.
