DEARBORN – The city of Dearborn has filed a lawsuit against Pro-V Enterprises, LLC for excessive track-out and fugitive dust that it says endangers the health of residents in the area. Track-out refers to the dirt, dust and sediment attached to vehicles traveling to and from an industrial or construction site.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), vehicle track-out is a source of “fugitive dust”, airborne particulate matter that has been linked to various respiratory problems such as asthma, chronic bronchitis and chronic COPD.

The city filed a complaint and an accompanying motion for a preliminary injunction Tuesday afternoon in Wayne County Circuit Court through its attorneys Jeremy J. Romer and Jeremy D Brown. The filings ask the Court to prevent Pro-V from “occupying and operating their business out of the building on the property, unless and until the nuisances are abated.”

Fugitive dust has profound and devastating health effects in populations that are both near to, and distant from, the original dust sources, and its proliferation in Dearborn neighborhoods cannot be tolerated – Dearborn Director of Public Health Ali Abazeed

“As these legal actions show, the city of Dearborn won’t hesitate to seek justice on behalf of our residents when their health and well-being are threatened,” Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud said. “We want to build strong relationships with our local businesses, but those relationships must be grounded in accountability and respect for public health.”

According to the lawsuit, Pro-V, which is located at 4401 Wyoming Street, has “permitted significant amounts of fugitive dust to emanate from the property” on at least 16 occasions, in violation of the city’s fugitive dust ordinance.

“Fugitive dust has profound and devastating health effects in populations that are both near to, and distant from, the original dust sources, and its proliferation in Dearborn neighborhoods cannot be tolerated,” Dearborn Director of Public Health Ali Abazeed said. “I applaud Mayor Hammoud for sending a clear message that our residents’ health always comes first.”