Rep. Amanda Clinton Submits Public Comments on Reworld Tulsa Air Quality Permit

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


TULSA, Okla. — Oklahoma State Representative Amanda Clinton (D-71) has submitted formal public comments to the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) regarding Reworld Tulsa’s air quality permit renewal application. Reworld (formerly Covanta) is the city of Tulsa’s waste management provider, located in West Tulsa, directly across the Arkansas River from HD 71.

Clinton’s comments reflect concerns shared by nearby residents and outline several science-based steps she believes are necessary to ensure transparency, public safety, and trust in the permitting process.

Her submitted comments call for comprehensive emissions testing, DEQ-supervised test burns, and air dispersion modeling to evaluate potential impacts on surrounding neighborhoods.

Rep. Clinton’s full comments to DEQ are provided below.

Public Comment – Reworld Tulsa LLC Air Quality Permit Renewal

Submitted by Rep. Amanda Clinton, Oklahoma House District 71

There is significant concern in my community and among my constituents who live in close proximity to Reworld Tulsa (2122 S. Yukon, Tulsa, Tulsa County) regarding Reworld's recent Permit Application No. 2024-0607-TVR2, currently under review by the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality.

After reviewing the application and consulting with regulatory experts, I believe additional steps are warranted to ensure public confidence in the permitting process and in the facility’s operations.

Specifically, I request that:

1. Comprehensive emissions testing be conducted to determine what pollutants are actually being emitted from the facility; specifically during periods when medical waste is being incinerated.

2. The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) provide direct oversight during the test burn to ensure accuracy, transparency, and public accountability.

3. Once emissions testing is complete, the resulting data should be used to conduct air dispersion modeling to assess potential impacts on air quality and to evaluate any risks to the health, environment, or property of nearby residents and the broader Tulsa

Air modeling and emissions verification are necessary to confirm that the proposed operation will not pose a hazard to the health, environment, or safety of Oklahomans or their property.

Regulatory experts have advised that the public and their elected representatives are well within our rights to request these measures as part of a responsible and science-based permitting process.

Once these analyses are complete, I am open to revisiting the terms of the permit. I also encourage DEQ to engage independent or external experts if these requests exceed the agency’s internal capabilities.

Respectfully,

Representative Amanda Clinton

Oklahoma House District 71