Parents at Lila Bringhurst Elementary School in Fremont are asking the Bay Area Air District to slow down a Tesla permit that would raise allowed emissions from two aluminum melting furnaces at the company's factory on Fremont Boulevard, a short walk from the campus on Wilson Road.
What Tesla is asking for
Tesla filed two applications. One asks to raise the emission limits for toxic air contaminants, specifically metals, from the two existing furnaces. The other would add catalytic filter systems to each furnace to cut nitrogen oxide emissions, according to the district's Sept. 3 draft engineering evaluation. Because the project increases toxic emissions within 1,000 feet of a K-12 school, state and district rules required a public notice to parents and neighbors.
The district's notice says staff made a preliminary determination that the project complies with air quality rules, including health risk limits, and recommends issuing the permit. A final decision comes after public comments are reviewed.
Why parents are objecting
A Change.org petition posted last weekend passed its goal of 1,000 signatures, SFGATE reported. It argues the notice played up the new pollution controls while leaving out how much more particulate matter would be allowed. Using figures in the engineering evaluation, petitioners estimate permitted particulates from the two furnaces would rise from roughly 1.55 tons a year to about 21.2 tons if run around the clock. That is the petition's own calculation, not a district figure, and it reflects a permit ceiling rather than measured output.
Parents also say the detailed review was hard to find among more than 20 filings in the district's online database, and SFGATE found that some machinery and emissions details Tesla disclosed in a 2022 application were redacted this time.
What's next
The public comment period closed Monday. Petitioners want the district to halt the process, rewrite the notice and reopen comments. The district has not announced whether it will extend the deadline.