Vulcan is certainly not going to be the last new quarry or concrete batch plant to try to set up in Comal County or elsewhere in the Texas Hill Country. While we are fighting this proposed quarry with everything we’ve got, the real, long-term, statewide solutions will need to come at the legislative level.

Our top quarry and aggregate production operations (APO) bill is stuck in the Environmental Regulation Committee. It’s time to flood Chairman Landgraf with phone calls, emails, and letters! Numbers matter, and we need your help! THIS IS THE BIG QUARRY BILL THIS SESSION.

The committee should schedule a hearing ASAP on HB 4341, which would transfer oversight of quarries and APOs from TCEQ to the Railroad Commission, and add additional protections, common-sense regulations, and inspections.

(UPDATE: HB 1912 and HB 291 now have a hearing date. Unfortunately, the committee substitute for HB 1912 is a very weak bill that adds only minimal protections from concrete batch plants—not quarries or portable rock crushers. HB 291 adds some reclamation requirements for certain quarries. While marginally helpful, neither of these bills brings the comprehensive APO legislation we are seeking. This is why we must continue to request a hearing for HB 4341.)

Across the state, it is clear that Texans have lost confidence in TCEQ’s ability to protect our health and our environment. In recognition of this problem, the House Interim Committee on Aggregate Production Operations was formed in 2020 and released a detailed report in January 2021. In many ways, this bill is a product of this report and its recommendations.

What to Do — ASAP!

Vulcan and their lobbyists are already hard at work convincing legislators to kill this good bill. It will take all hands on deck to get it passed into law. But don’t underestimate the power of phone calls and emails from individual citizens! First step: getting a committee hearing scheduled.

This week is easy! Right now we’re asking you to make 1 phone call 📱 and send 1 email. 📧

Email and call House Environmental Regulation Chair Brooks Landgraf and his chief of staff:
brooks.landgraf@house.texas.gov
CC: ben.lancaster@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0546

Use our sample email template (personalize if you can) or draft your own unique message. Keep it short, simple, and sweet!

What to Say

• Request that Representative Landgraf schedule a committee hearing on HB 4341
• Across Texas, it’s clear that citizens have lost confidence in TCEQ’s ability to protect us and our natural resources.
• 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.
• The House Interim Committee on Aggregate Production Operations released a detailed report on many of these problems in January 2021. Dozens of citizens spoke to these problems at the virtual town hall hosted by Representative Wilson.
• Express your support for HB 4341 and request scheduling of a committee hearing as soon as possible.

If You Can…

• Also mail a letter 📮 to Mr. Landgraf (P. O. Box 2910, Austin, TX 78768).

Want to Do More?

Write a letter to the editor of the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, the San Antonio Express-News, and/or your local newspaper outlining why you support HB 4341 (our top priority bill) and why it’s so important to the Comal County and the entire state of Texas.

Stay Up to Date!

Subscribe to our email updates and follow us on Facebook for updates on House Bill 4341 and other pending legislation that could affect your health and our state’s natural resources.

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 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

Stay Up to Date!

Subscribe to our email updates and follow us on Facebook for updates on House Bill 3798 and other pending legislation that could affect your health and our state’s natural resources.

Good news! Two of the most important bills for us this session have a committee hearing scheduled on Monday, April 8! We strongly support HB 2871 (authored by Representative Kyle Biedermann) and HB 509 (by Representative Terry Wilson).

While not perfect, these similar bills include requirements that will make it more difficult for quarry operators to obtain a permit (instead of the current rubber-stamping process). This legislation would also increase protection for Texas citizens and our natural resources from the negative effects of rock quarries. We need to make our voices heard as soon as possible.

What’s to Like?

Sick and tired of hearing TCEQ claim that they can only consider matters of air quality—and only pollution coming from the crusher? With these bills, in addition to the TCEQ air quality permit, other factors would now be considered: blasting impacts, water supply, water quality and runoff effects.

Unlike many other states, Texas doesn’t currently require a mining permit or 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.

• Unlike TCEQ, the Railroad Commission would be able to perform unannounced inspections.
• HB 2871 (Biedermann) requires a reclamation permit: the quarry company must restore land to its natural state after they mine the limestone or other aggregate.
• These bills include fines and criminal penalties for willful violations.

On Monday, the House Energy Resources Committee will consider HB 509 and HB 2871. Representatives Biedermann, Wilson, and their staff have worked hard to draft these bills. Now we need to back these bills and help get them passed into law!

What to Do—NOW!

Email 📧 and call 📱 all 11 members of the committee. Urge them to vote YES on HB 509 and HB 2871. Explain your reasoning from the section above, mention TCEQ’s ineptitude (below), or use our sample email template.

Your input will be especially meaningful if you mention how you have seen first-hand how broken the TCEQ permitting and enforcement process is. (Also, if you have friends or relatives living in any districts below, reach out to them: their voices as constituents may be even more powerful.)

Chris Paddie, Chairman (Marshall/Northeast Texas)
chris.paddie@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0556

Abel Herrero, Vice Chairman (Corpus Christi area)
abel.herrero@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0462

Rafael Anchia (NW Dallas)
rafael.anchia@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0746

Ernest Bailes (Huntsville, Liberty)
ernest.bailes@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0570

Tom Craddick (Midland area)
tom.craddick@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0500

Drew Darby (San Angelo area)
drew.darby@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0331

Charlie Geren (NW Fort Worth)
charlie.geren@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0610

Roland Gutierrez (SE San Antonio, Live Oak, Universal City, Converse)
roland.gutierrez@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0452

Cody Harris (Hillsboro, Corsicana, Palestine)
cody.harris@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0730

Mary Ann Perez (Pasadena, Baytown)
maryann.perez@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0460

Jon Rosenthal (Far NW Houston)
jon.rosenthal@house.texas.gov
(512) 463-0722

Additionally…

We know you are busy. But this is some of the most important legislation under consideration. If at all possible, please make plans to attend and speak at the committee hearing on Monday afternoon (many of your neighbors will be driving to Austin to speak at this hearing).

Monday, April 8 at 2:00 p.m.
Texas Capitol
Room E2.010
1100 Congress Avenue
Austin, TX 78701
Map & Directions
Capitol Map
Agenda
How to Register to Speak

So grab a couple of neighbors and friends. Car pool if you can! Allow plenty of time for Austin traffic and parking. Sometimes these hearings can last two or three hours, so be prepared (snacks, water, book, etc.). If you have any printed documents or graphics, bring 12 copies. If you have any questions about the process—or anything else—simply email us at stop3009vulcanquarry@gmail.com.

Don’t worry if you haven’t memorized every detail of these bills. 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.

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.

It is also important to contact your own state representative and state senator and ask them to personally communicate your support for HB 2871 and HB 509 to all members of the Energy Resources Committee.

If you live in Comal, Kendall, or Gillespie counties, Kyle Biedermann is your representative (thank him for authoring HB 2871!):

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

Stay Up to Date!

Subscribe to our email updates and follow us on Facebook for updates on House Bill 2871, House Bill 509, and other pending legislation that could affect your health and our state’s natural resources.