The city of Logansport passed a resolution this week opposing plans to put a controversial industrial plant in Cass County. It’s unclear whether the move will spur the county to change its mind.

Residents with the Cass County Citizens’ Coalition worry the zinc oxide manufacturing plant, owned by Waelz Sustainable Products, would emit dangerous amounts of lead and mercury into the air.

In a draft of the resolution, the city of Logansport said it can’t support a project that would risk the health of its citizens and contaminate its farms and rivers. Dave Morris is the city council president of Logansport.

“The citizens feel they aren’t being heard is probably the reason that we’ve done what we’ve done,” he said.

Morris said he hopes this will encourage the county to take its time in considering the plant and answer residents’ questions.

Lora Redweick, with the Cass County Citizens’ Coalition, said she's very grateful for the city's support.

“It in my mind would put the county on notice that, ‘We're looking out for our citizens. Why aren't you looking out for the county citizens in a whole?’” she said.

Nearly half of Cass County residents live in Logansport. In an email statement, the president of the Cass County Commissioners said the commissioners have a “good working relationship” with the city of Logansport.

The project is expected to bring about 90 jobs to the area and recycles dust from steel mills to make its product.

Contact reporter Rebecca at rthiele@iu.edu or follow her on Twitter at @beckythiele.

Indiana Environmental reporting is supported by the Environmental Resilience Institute, an Indiana University Grand Challenge project developing Indiana-specific projections and informed responses to problems of environmental change.