Action Alert: Aggregate Production Testimony Needed

Deadline 5pm today, Friday, 9/25: We need you!

Please sign up to speak at an ONLINE/VIRTUAL town hall meeting about sand mines and/or other aggregate production operations (APOs). The meeting will be Thursday, 10/1 for the House Interim Committee on Aggregate Production Operations. Please send an email to both jeff.frazier_hc@house.texas.gov and jeff.frazier@house.texas.gov stating your name, contact info, and your request to speak at the 10/1 town hall.

Probably not everyone will be called on to speak, but we want the committee to know that this affects vast numbers of people. It’s CRITICAL to communicate how many of us are negatively affected by existing and planned sand mines, quarries, concrete plants, and other APOs.

All of the House Interim Committee members will be present and this will be similar to speaking in front of the committee at the Capitol in Austin–but online.

Speakers will also come from the Hill County where APOs are severely impacting quality of life.

Examples of Problems in Lake Houston Area

Mouth bar on the West Fork San Jacinto that mostly formed during Hurricane Harvey. It backed up water and contributed to flooding thousands of homes and businesses. Much of the sediment came from 20 square miles of sand mines immediately upstream. Cleanup cost to state and federal governments so far: about $150 million.
The day the West Fork (right) ran white after the LMI Mine upstream put 56 million gallons of process wastewater into the drinking water for 2 million people (Source: TCEQ).
Breach at Triple PG mine one White Oak Creek emitted process wastewater into headwaters of Lake Houston, the source of drinking water for 2 million people. Attorney General is suing mine for approximately $1 million.
Concentrated silt after sand is washed. Exposed in floodway of the San Jacinto West Fork.
River mining without a permit at the Spring Wet Sand and Gravel Plant on the west fork.

Speak for Up to 3 Minutes

Be prepared to speak for up to three minutes about how YOU personally have been or will be impacted by quarries, concrete batch plants, or asphalt plants. Pick one or two of these key issues that most affect you personally:

???? Air particulate emissions
???? Water use and availability
???? Water pollution and flooding
???? Rapid development of APOs without adequate regulatory oversight, mine planning, or reclamation
???? Truck traffic
???? Nuisance issues: blasting, noise, odor, light trespass, visible blight
???? Economic impacts, devaluation of property

URGENT: DO TODAY BEFORE 5pm

Just send in an email requesting to speak. You’ll have a week to plan and prep. Thanks for helping protect our families and community!

If possible, it is VERY IMPORTANT to speak at this meeting. However, if you aren’t selected to speak, or you don’t get your request submitted in time, there will be an additional opportunity later this month to submit written testimonial. We’ll send more info on this in the upcoming days and weeks.

SEND EMAIL

Posted by Bob Rehak on 9/25/2020

1123 Days since Hurricane Harvey