After more than 20 years in operation, Milwhite Inc. shut down their operations on Wednesday.

Those who live near the facility said closing day had been a long time coming.

“I can't be more excited,” Adhlemy Sanchez Martinez said. “It feels like it's too good to be true.”

Martinez has lived near the grinding mill for three years. She was vocal about her opposition to Milwhite's operations.

The company had been at the center of several lawsuits — including one filed by the city of Brownsville in February 2024 over pollution concerns that the city said was negatively impacting nearby residents.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality also took legal action against Milwhite for violating the Texas Clean Air Act.

Wednesday’s closure was part of a legal agreement between Milwhite and the city of Brownsville.

“It took a lot of hard work,” Brownsville District 2 Commissioner Linda Macias said. “I stayed up late at night just trying to strategize and see how we can work best for both parties.”

Macias said a hardware store will move in to Milwhite’s location.

“It's gonna be different, they won't be manufacturing anything,” Macias said. “We did express our concerns. I feel that these owners are gonna be great neighbors to the neighborhood."

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