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TCEQ Cites Hallett Mine for Five Violations But Issues No Fines

During late February, 2025, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) investigated the Hallett Sand Mine on the West Fork San Jacinto and cited it for five violations. The violations included failure to: However, the TCEQ report mentions no fines or financial penalties. The Commission simply closed the case after the violations were resolved, even […]

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TCEQ Investigates Exposed Pipelines at Porter Sand Mine, Finds More Alleged Violations

9/5/25 – The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has completed investigating exposed pipelines carrying highly volatile liquids at a sand mine in Porter operated by Texas Frac Sand Materials Inc. TCEQ documented the pipeline issue and referred it to the Railroad Commission of Texas, which regulates pipelines in the state. As of this writing, […]

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Triple PG Sand-Mine Lawsuit Slides to Year 7 as Problems Get Worse

8/14/25 – A State of Texas lawsuit against the Triple PG sand mine that began in 2019 will now be tried, at the earliest, in 2026. Meanwhile problems at the mine have gotten worse. Breaches in their dikes that triggered the lawsuit have recurred. And five pipelines carrying highly volatile liquids (HVL) are now exposed […]

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Editorial: The Perils of Pendulum Politics

3/22/25 – Enough of the pendulum politics already! We seem to swing from the left to right, from over regulation to no regulation, oblivious to any middle ground. The latest agency in the Washington crosshairs: the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). No doubt, most business people can cite an extreme example of EPA overregulation. And no […]

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Hallett Finally Plugs Year-Long Leak in Sand Mine

2/27/25 – Hallett Materials has finally plugged a year-long leak in its Porter sand mine on the San Jacinto West Fork. According to residents who live near the leak, an investigator from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) visited the mine yesterday. For more than six hours, he sampled water leaking from the mine. […]

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Only 4 Days Left To Comment on New TCEQ Sand-Mining BMPs

1/21/25 – The TCEQ is soliciting public comments on its proposed new “best management practices” (BMPs) for sand mining. The comment period closes at 11:59 PM on 1/24/25. That’s this Friday. Regrettably, few people have submitted comments to date. Yet, when it comes to reducing downstream flood risk, few things are as important. BMPs are […]

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Better Sand-Mining BMPs Needed to Control Sediment Pollution

1/13/25 – The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has proposed new Best Management Practices (BMPs) for mining in response to a mandate from the 2023 session of the Texas Legislature. However, in my opinion, the recommended BMPs will do little to nothing to help control sediment pollution from mines in the Lake Houston Area. The […]

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New TCEQ Sand Mining BMPs Ignore Pit Captures

12/13/24 – Proposed new Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Best Management Practices (BMPs) for sand mines ignore what miners are supposed to do in the case of pit captures. “Pit capture” happens when a river breaks through the dikes of a sand mine. It can have serious consequences including, but not limited to: Identifying […]

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TCEQ Report on West Fork Pit Capture Doesn’t Mention “Pit Capture”

9/2/24 – On 8/26/24, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) issued a report on a San Jacinto West Fork pit capture. “Pit capture” happened when the river cut through an abandoned sand pit on a point bar instead of taking the long way around it. Worldwide, many environmental consequences have been linked to such […]

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Another Sand Pit Captured, More Breached by San Jacinto West Fork

Today, I discovered another sand pit captured by the San Jacinto West Fork. I also discovered two more dikes breached. That makes at least four San Jacinto West Fork sand pits seriously damaged in the last storm. See the photos below. Photos Taken on 6/8/24 Pit capture is a phenomenon where the river cuts through […]

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