Isaac files bills to place restrictions on aggregate companies, but Vulcan quarry opponent says they leave too much ‘wiggle room’ for big polluters

myCanyonLake.com
March 8, 2023

“Texas continues to experience growth by leaps and bounds, and that requires homes, roads, offices, schools and businesses to build and expand,” Isaac said in a statement. “We know it requires aggregate and concrete, and we expect that. I believe these businesses can co-exist with their neighbors and we can all be good stewards of the Hill Country while advancing the needs due to continued growth.” But David Drewa, spokesperson for a coalition of citizens’ groups fighting the proposed Vulcan Quarry, dismissed Isaac’s bills as only “very tiny steps in the right direction.” He said Isaac’s predecessor, former Rep. Kyle Biedermann and Rep. Terry Wilson, who represents District 20, in 2019 spearheaded much more comprehensive legislation for quarries and other aggregate production operations (APOs)….

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Isaac proposes bills that seek to reduce environmental impact of aggregate mining

New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung
March 8, 2023

House Bill 3658 would require fenceline air quality monitoring at concrete plants and aggregate production sites. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issues permits for rock and concrete crushing facilities. House Bill 3624 would prompt the TCEQ to prioritize permit applicants who received similar permits in the past and reclaimed the land less than six months after the site closed. David Drewa, a volunteer with Preserve our Hill Country Environment, said the proposals are a “tiny step in the right direction. These particular bills are rather vague and appear to leave lots of wiggle room to big industry polluters, so we’re hoping to see something more comprehensive,” Drewa said. The group is fighting against the proposed Vulcan Quarry between New Braunfels and Bulverde….

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