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The Twin Rivers Unified School District board on Tuesday formally opposed a proposed crematorium near D.W. Babcock Elementary in Sacramento that has been the subject of community concerns over potential emissions for months.
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The vote to formalize the district’s opposition as a resolution took place during its regular board meeting amid continued pushback from residents over the controversial crematorium proposed near the school.
“I hope to God that all the trustee votes’ efforts to stop this are successful, and I don’t know why the city continuously supports putting our kids at risk,” Michael Baker, a trustee of the district board, said Tuesday.
The project has a permit from the city of Sacramento but still needs approval from the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District. In July, the air district issued Sant Sagar Crematory a notice of violation after finding that the company had begun unauthorized construction before receiving a permit authorizing the work.
The project is undergoing a California Environmental Quality Act environmental review after parents and school officials raised concerns about its proximity — less than 1,000 feet — to the school. The review is expected to be completed in October or November, said the air district on Wednesday. Until then, the permit remains on hold, according to Amy Roberts, the agency’s engineering and compliance division director.
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The resolution does not change the permitting process or give the TRUSD decision-making authority regarding the project.
Trustee Sascha Vogt echoed Baker’s concern, saying “Our children don’t get to choose the air that they breathe on,” and emphasizing the district’s responsibility to make sound decisions on their behalf.
“At the end of the day, ultimately, the board does not control the outcome of the permitting process,” Vogt said. “We’ve, as individuals and alongside the community, advocated, but just because we don’t make that final decision, does not mean we don’t have a voice.”
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