Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has secured a temporary injunction stopping companies from accepting shipments of wind turbine blades.
The injunction against Global Fiberglass Solutions and other affiliated entities also forces the companies to begin cleanup of two facilities in Sweetwater, where thousands of discarded turbine blades have been illegally stockpiled.
“This is a victory for protecting the land, health and safety of the people of Texas,” Paxton said. “No new wind turbine blade shipments will be accepted at these illegal sites and the defendants are now legally required to begin cleaning up the thousands of discarded blades they irresponsibly abandoned in Sweetwater.
“We will not allow Texas land to be used as an illegal dumping ground.”
According to Paxton’s office, Global was purportedly hired by numerous companies to break down, transport and recycle turbine blades. The company failed to properly dispose of the waste and instead created a stockpile of more than 3,000 wind turbine blades and parts. This has created unpermitted and illegal disposal sites.
The AG’s office says these sites “damage beautiful Texas land and threaten surrounding communities,” and it says the defendants’ actions are in violation of Texas’s solid waste disposal laws and other administrative orders.
In February, Paxton sued the defendants to civil penalties for ongoing violations and for injunctive relief to require the complete removal and lawful disposal of all unauthorized waste. Paxton’s office says the temporary injunction represents a critical first step toward accomplishing these goals.
The injunction requires the defendants to immediately cease accepting shipments of waste at their two facilities. It also requires the defendants to begin breaking down the wind turbine blades and dispose of them properly at an authorized disposal facility.
Paxton’s office says it will continue to ensure the defendants follow through with their obligations and to ensure penalties are rendered against Global for violations of Texas environmental laws.
