The TCEQ approved Zumwalt Construction’s amended Water Pollution Abatement plan on October 5, 2010.  This permit, along with the previously approved Air Permit, allows quarry operations to begin.

A “Driveway Permit” from TXDot will be required to allow truck traffic to enter and egress the quarry site on to FM 1283.  For information regarding the status of the permit and to voice your safety concerns regarding changes needed to FM 1283 (added lanes, etc.) at the quarry entrance, call Michael Coward, TXDot Area Engineer, (830) 257-8444.

On August 11, 2010 the TCEQ approved Zumwalt Construction’s application for an air permit to operate a rock crusher at the FM 1283 location.

Zumwalt Amends WPAP

In response to the comments from SAWS regarding the pending Water Pollution Abatement Plan, Zumwalt amended the plan to address some, but not all of the concerns voiced by SAWS.   Zumwalt’s responses to the TCEQ and to SAWS are available here.

The revised WPAP is currently under review by the TCEQ.

If this plan is approved  Zumwalt may begin quarry operations.  However, he will still need a “Driveway Permit” from TXDot  which may involve modifications to the FM1283 entrance to the quarry, including the possible addition of a turn/acceleration lane.

Zumwalt Water Plan

The San Antonio Water System (SAWS) sent comments to the TCEQ regarding Zumwalt Construction’s revised Water Pollution Abatement Plan.  SAWS cites a number of concerns about the proposed plan and concludes with the following:

“Based on the WPAP information submitted by the engineer, staff recommends dissaproval of this application.”

Click on the following link to read the entire SAWS letter: SAWS Comments to the TCEQ

The TCEQ is expected to take another 30 to 60 days to issue a decision on the proposed plan.

On June 10 Zumwalt Construction re-submitted a Water Pollution Abatement Plan (WPAP) for the proposed quarry site in Mico.  The original plan was overturned by the TCEQ Commissioners on April 28 due to the failure by the applicant to specify the site was within the Extra Territorial Jurisdiction of the City of San Antonio and to require the applicant to address issues identified by the Ranchland Oaks Homeowners Association.

We continue to have a number of concerns regarding the viability of this plan with regard to the issues above, especially Zumwalt’s plan to use a diesel generator to power the rock crusher and associated equipment.  This generator will be fueled by a 300 gallon diesel tank which will be located within the quarry pit.  The reason given for using the generator is that three-phase power is not readily available at the site and it will cost an estimated $300,000 – $400,000 to run lines to the site.

Our question to the TCEQ is what dollar amount is too great to protect our water from potential pollution by diesel fuel seeping into the Edwards or Trinity aquifers?  Should “it costs too much” be adequate justification for allowing the potential pollution of our water wells?

If you are opposed to the TCEQ approving this WPAP, please send a letter with your comments (no e-comments accepted) to TCEQ, Region 13 Office, 14250 Judson Road, San Antonio 78233.  Please reference Project No. 10022-37.

All comments must be received by Friday July 9, so please respond quickly!

The  TCEQ announced today that it is extending the comment period on the Air Permit by an additional 30 days:

“Given the information we have received about the difficulties viewing the signs for the full thirty days, the executive director is extending the comment period for another thirty days from the date the applicant’s consultant remedied the defects in the posting of the signs.  The new end of the comment period will be July 12, 2010.”

Thanks to all of you who sent comments.  If you have not yet done so, please take the time to let your objections be known to the TCEQ via the e-Comment link (use permit #92120).  If you have already sent comments to the TCEQ and you wish to add to them, please do so.  There are no limits to the number of comments you are permitted to make regarding a pending permit application.

The TCEQ is now saying the deadline for comments “may” be today, Thursday June 10.  Get your comments in NOW!

Zumwalt Construction Fails to Follow Permit Requirements

Zumwalt Construction has failed to meet a number of Public Notice requirements regarding placement of signs around their property line.  If you have not already made an e-Comment, please click here to go to the TCEQ e-comment web page, input permit number 92120 and tell the TCEQ Zumwalt did not keep his signs in place or insure they were visible from the roadway during the comment period. Ask the TCEQ to deny the permit based on Zumwalt’s documented failure to comply with Public Notification requirements.

The deadline for comments is 5 PM

All comments regarding the Zumwalt Construction application for a rock crusher permit at the Mico Ranch location must be received by the TCEQ not later than the close of business on Friday, June 11.  Please let the TCEQ know you oppose this permit by writing a letter to the Office of the Chief Clerk:

Be sure to reference Permit #92120 in all communication to the TCEQ.

We have reason to believe we can continue to be successful in blocking approval of this permit.   Please help by telling the TCEQ “NO” on this permit application!

On May 12, Zumwalt Construction published notice that it had applied once again for an Air Permit to operate a rock crusher at the FM 1283 ranch location in Mico.  The 30 day public comment period will run from May 12 until Friday, June 11.

Once again we need to let the TCEQ know of our objections to granting this permit.  Please contact the TCEQ by writing a letter to the Office of the Chief Clerk:

The TCEQ Commissioners approved our Motion to Overturn the Zumwalt water plan! This invalidates the WPAP approved in February and sends the permit application back to the TCEQ to address the issues we identified.  At a minimum this will require the notification period to begin again, allowing the City of San Antonio (SAWS) time to comment on the plan.  It will also allow the technical issues we have with the plan to be addressed by the TCEQ and Zumwalt

More details to follow as information becomes available.

The TCEQ will provide a live webcast of their April 28 meeting where our motion to overturn the approved Zumwalt  Water Pollution Abatement Plan will be discussed and decided.  The webcast is available here (scroll down and click on the “Commissioners’ Agenda Meetings” link).

The meeting begins at 9:30 am and our motion is item number 6 on the agenda which is available by clicking here.  Representatives from Ranchland Oaks HOA, Zumwalt, the TCEQ Executive Director and the TCEQ’s Office of Public Interest Council will each be provided 5 minutes to address the Commissioners on the motion.  Copies of the documents filed and inputs to the Commissioners on the motion are available here.

If you are unable to watch the meeting live, each agenda item is archived on the first site listed above and can be viewed at any time following the meeting.