This area is home to the Colorado River which originates in New Mexico and flows approximately 900 miles to the Gulf of Mexico near Bay City, Texas. As well as the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer that supplies water to 12 million homes

Currently, Texas does not require aggregate production operations (APOs) to follow best management practices (BMPs) except in a section of the San Jacinto watershed.

Mining so close to the river will result in sediment pollution and the eroded soil from the clearing of the riparian habitat will only increase the pollution in the river and groundwater contamination.

Potential pollutants present at a sand mining site may include:

• Dust

• Total suspended solids

• Total dissolved solids

• Turbidity

• pH

• Diesel/gas fuel

• Oil

• Heavy metals

• Solvents

Read more here: https://www.tceq.texas.gov/downloads/permitting/stormwater/rulemaking/bmps-sand-mining-rg-555.pdf

Sand and gravel mining upstream of the city requires approval from the Lower Colorado River Authority. No such approval is required downstream of Austin. That means a mining operation can commence along the river and you will never have the opportunity to comment on it.

Did you know that Texas is the only state that provides no zoning control over such a large portion of land? These unincorporated jurisdictions in its counties have no tools for controlling growth or resource extraction. Legislation has been filed this session to change that. Newly elected State Representative Stan Gerdes has filed HB 3383….