MAY 16 UPDATE: Unfortunately this bill did not make it out of committee. Thank you for all your supportive emails, calls, and testimony!
The other important bill authored by Representative Kyle Biedermann is scheduled for a committee hearing on Wednesday, April 17. We strongly support HB 3798 for the following reasons:
- Gives Railroad Commission authority to require mining permits, perform unannounced inspections, monitor and report on quarry mining activities
- Gives Railroad Commission authority to require a reclamation permit: the quarry company must restore land to its natural state after they mine the limestone or other aggregate
- Required groundwater and quarry mining permits must be obtained before TCEQ can issue air quality permit for rock crusher
- Increases notification requirements for new proposed quarries and rock crushers
- Establishes setback of one mile for rock crushers
- Requires TCEQ to conduct a statewide air quality assessment and take specific actions based on the results
In a video recorded for our March 29 fundraising dinner and auction, Texas State Representative Kyle Biedermann (District 73) speaks about rock quarries and gravel mines, their negative impacts, TCEQ, and legislation that he has authored to resolve some of the related problems.
Posted by Friends of Dry Comal Creek on Sunday, March 31, 2019
In the News
Biedermann Introduces Two Quarry Bills (myCanyonLake.com, March 19)
Biedermann’s Quarry Bill Undergoes Hearings (Herald-Zeitung, April 14, paywall)
Biedermann Quarry Bill Heads to Committee (myCanyonLake.com, April 16)
Hearing at the Capitol
On Wednesday, Representative Biedermann will lay out HB 3798 before the House Environmental Regulation Committee. We need to help get this legislation passed into law!
Please make plans to attend, register your support, and speak in favor of HB 3798 at the committee hearing on Wednesday.
Wednesday, April 17 at 10:30 a.m. (unlikely to start on time)
Texas Capitol
Room E1.026
1100 Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78701
Map & Directions to Visitor’s Parking Garage
Capitol Map
Agenda
How to Register to Speak
So grab a couple of neighbors and friends. Car pool if you can! Allow time for traffic and parking. Sometimes these hearings can last a few hours, so be prepared (snacks, water, book, etc.). If you have any questions about the process—or anything else—simply reply to this email.
Don’t worry if you haven’t memorized every detail of this bill. That’s fine! Tell your personal story, focus on the fact that TCEQ is broken, and how unbridled aggregate mining is hurting Texas, our health, and our environment.
Want to support these bills, but don’t feel comfortable speaking? No problem! Registering in favor of this legislation at the Capitol (using one of the witness kiosks) will be very effective too. So make the relatively quick drive to Austin and register your support for HB 3798. (You don’t even have to stick around for the hearing if you don’t want to.)
A few other related bills will also be heard on Wednesday. We support HB 798, HB 907, HB 999, HB 1310, and HB 4600. We oppose HB 3816.
Contact Committee Members
This week, email and call all 9 members of the committee. Urge them to vote YES on HB 3798. Explain your reasoning from the section above, mention TCEQ’s ineptitude (below), or use our sample email template.
J. M. Lozano, Chairman (Bee, Jim Wells, Kleberg, San Patricio counties)
jm.lozano@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0463
Ed Thompson, Vice Chairman (Brazoria County)
ed.thompson@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0707
César Blanco (El Paso County)
cesar.blanco@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0622
Kyle Kacal (Brazos, Falls, Limestone, McLennan, Robertson counties; bill author)
kyle.kacal@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0412
John Kuempel (Guadalupe, Wilson counties)
john.kuempel@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0602
Geanie Morrison (Aransas, Calhoun, DeWitt, Goliad, Refugio, Victoria counties)
geanie.morrison@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0456
Ron Reynolds (Fort Bend County)
ron.reynolds@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0494
John Turner (Dallas County)
john.turner@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0576
Erin Zwiener (Blanco, Hays counties)
erin.zwiener@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0647
Problems with TCEQ
- Across Texas, it’s clear that citizens have lost confidence in TCEQ’s ability to protect us and our natural resources.
- TCEQ’s permitting process relies on bad data, poor models, and is plagued by conflict of interest.
- TCEQ has a poor track record of monitoring and enforcing compliance.
- These failures require legislative solutions with common sense requirements to improve the public health and safety of Texas.
Contact Your Legislators
It is also important to contact your own state representative and state senator and ask them to personally communicate your support for HB 3798 to all members of the Environmental Regulation Committee.
If you live in Comal, Kendall, or Gillespie counties, Kyle Biedermann is your representative (thank him for authoring HB 3798!):
Kyle Biedermann
kyle.biedermann@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0325
If you live in Comal, Kendall, northern Bexar, or parts of Hays, Guadalupe, or Travis counties, Donna Campbell is your senator:
Dr. Donna Campbell
donna.campbell@senate.texas.gov
(512) 463-0125
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