Quarry Bill Heads to Energy Resources Committee

A quarry bill introduced to the Texas legislature in March by Canyon Lake’s House Rep. Kyle Biedermann (R-73) is scheduled for a hearing before the House Energy Resources Committee on Monday, April  8.

Stop 3009 Vulcan Quarry is urging residents to contact legislators on that commitee, asking them to support Biedermann’s bill, which would make it harder for quarry operators to obtain permits.

MyCanyonLake.com wrote about H.B. 2871 in March. To read that article, click here. For contact information for members of the Texas House Energy Resources Committee, click here. To learn more about Stop 3009 Vulcan Quarry, click here.

In a statement emailed on Thursday, April 4, the activist group said H.B. 2871 and H.B. 509, a similar measure introduced by Rep. Terry Wilson (R-20), would help to better protect Texans and the state’s natural resources from the negative effects of rock quarries.

The legislation also would strengthen rules on blasting impacts, water supply, water quality and runoff effects, Stop 3009 Vulcan Quarry said.

“Unlike many other states, Texas doesn’t currently require a mining permit (to) regulate mining activities of rock quarries (aggregate production operations). Polluters shouldn’t get a free pass when it comes to mining rock and limestone in Texas. With this legislation, that would change! The Railroad Commission would supervise aggregate mining activities and require water-impact studies to be performed.”

“…Your input will be especially meaningful if you mention how you have seen first-hand how broken the TCEQ permitting and enforcement process is.”