In a significant financial boost for environmental restoration, Texas State Representative Jared Patterson has successfully secured state funds for the cleanup of the old Exide Battery Recycling Center in Frisco. According to the City of Frisco, these funds are allotted to aid the City of Frisco in its extensive remediation efforts, aiming to ensure the development of Grand Park. This park, deemed a "crown jewel" of North Texas, aspires to stretch from Dallas North Tollway to Lake Lewisville and FM 423 over a vast span of 1,011 acres.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is now directed to permit Frisco to fully utilize up to $24 million over the coming two years from the Hazardous and Solid Waste Remediation Fee Account for the site's cleanup. The fund usage follows a 2021 bill championed by Rep. Patterson, who that same session, managed to earmark a preliminary $3 million from the State of Texas for this initiative. "Frisco taxpayers should not bear the brunt of paying for the cleanup of this site, which served the state as the only battery recycling facility in Texas," Rep. Patterson stated, per the City of Frisco. He also extended gratitude to the City of Frisco staff for their cooperation.
The issue of Exide's former site has long been a sore subject for Frisco residents, with concerns over pollution and public health implications. Rep. Patterson's securing of these funds not only helps to alleviate the financial pressure on local taxpayers but also underlines the state's commitment to addressing environmental hazards left behind by industrial operations.
