Earth Month Opportunities to Get Involved: Bastrop Environmental Stewardship Team
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
Skip Connett, Friends of the Land
April 2, 2024 512-949-9830
EARTH MONTH OPPORTUNITIES: SUPPORT THE BEST, BASTROP’S ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP TEAM
Rallying Support For Local Organizations Protecting the County's Air, Water, and Prime Farmland
BASTROP, TEXAS, APRIL 2, 2024 – Earth Month is the perfect time to take action to protect the natural beauty and resources of where you live, especially as Central Texas continues its rank as one of the fastest growing regions in the country.
Several local organizations have been working together and independently to ensure that Bastrop retains the clean air, water and land it depends upon for health, recreation, and economic vitality. This month these organizations are uniting to seek volunteers and donations for Environmental Stewardship, whose mission has been protecting the Lower Colorado River, the aquifers below it, and prime farmland around it for more than 25 years.
In February, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) granted Bastrop resident Richard Martin, a member of Environmental Stewardship, a contested case hearing in the Corix/McKinney Roughs Wastewater Treatment Plant Application pending before the commission. If approved, the permit would increase by 10-fold the amount of wastewater Corix can discharge into the river from its at-capacity plant in the middle of LCRA’s McKinney Roughs Park.
“I feel like I have lost my river,” lamented Martin, adding how it’s rare to catch large fish like he did in years past when the water was much less turbid, silty, and choked with algae.
Lawyers for Environmental Stewardship have cited TCEQ's lack of adequate and timely monitoring on this segment of the river. Wastewater discharges into the river upstream of McKinney Roughs have increased dramatically over the years. They contend that TCEQ has failed to provide data supporting the agency’s determination that the river does not qualify as impaired, which would place restrictions on how new wastewater permitting is approved, including a new wastewater permit request from SpaceX.
Mark your calendars: State of the River Report Next Month -- Join a BEST virtual panel discussion in May (date to be announced) for updates on the latest river water quality assessments and findings. Calsl to Action may include: increased water and air monitoring, updated aquatic life surveys, and county adoption of increased river setbacks for development similar to Travis County. Currently, there are no state-required setbacks or permits required for sand and gravel operations mining in the river's floodplain downstream of the Highland Lakes. A Citizen Advisory Committee on Aggregate Production Operations (APOs) is also being formed so sand and gravel mines moving into the county and impacted landowners can share concerns.
To learn more about how you can get involved with BEST organizations and supporting Environmental Stewardship and its work, see below:
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Environmental-Stewardship, Steve Box
This nonprofit educates and encourages public stewardship by gathering and using scientific information to restore and sustain ecological services provided by environmental systems. Recent accomplishments include: Seeking a contested case hearing to protect the county's section of the Colorado River from excessive pollutants. Contact: https://www.environmental-stewardship.org/author/stevebox/, 512-300-6609, info@envstwardship.org.
Friends of the Land, Skip Connett
Friends of the Land (FOL) is an all-volunteer organization addressing local food security and farmland preservation through innovative land use reform. FOL’s Save Wilbarger Bend campaign seeks to protect this critical organic farming and ecologically sensitive area from sand and gravel mining through conservation easements and agricultural zones like Vermont’s Intervale. Recent accomplishments include: Organizing a community meeting to address dangerous conditions created by sand and gravel mines, including: destruction of prime farmland, dangerous roads, air pollution. Reducing speed limit on FM 969 to 60mph. See:www.friendsoftheland.com, 512-949-9830.
Keep Bastrop Boring, Chap Ambrose
Created by a concerned resident after discovering multiple environmental violations in and around the Colorado River. Keep Bastrop Boring is an environmental watchdog for Space X and the Boring Company and overall advocate for Bastrop County. Recent accomplishments include: a contested case hearing request to protect the river from excessive wastewater impacts on recreation and county aquifers: Contact: www.KeepBastropBoring.com
League of Independent Voters, Linda Curtis
LIV is a 501c4 nonprofit, nonpartisan membership association dedicated to bringing about competitive elections and a multi-party system. livtx.org: contact@livtx.org • 512.213.4511 (no texts)
Simsboro Aquifer Defense Fund, Andy Wier
The mission of the Simsboro Aquifer Water Defense Fund (SAWDF) is to take action to protect and conserve the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer in central Texas, as well as the rivers, streams and springs that are nurtured by it, and to defend the rights of those who live over the aquifer and who seek to leave a legacy of sustainable water resources for future Texans. https://www.simsborowaterdefensefund.org/about-us; awier.tx@gmail.com.
Bastrop Interfaith, Warinda Harris
Bastrop Interfaith works with a network of institutions to address issues affecting families. Recent accomplishments include: Leading the fight to prevent a solar farm from destroying 2,000+ acres of trees along Little Sandy Creek. Contact: https://www.centraltexasinterfaith.org/tags/bastrop_interfaith, (512) 916-0100
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