Amazing - Joyce's statement is a passionate, well-documented rebuke of the development plan and our regulatory failings. While it's a great read, I am saddened to the core at the same time. Texans who care already know how these hearings barely pay lip service to environmental concerns (probably because if our continuing one-party rule by politicians who are *always* in developers' pockets). The Edwards alliance states that this permit is expected to be approved. That alone is shocking to me, along with how aquifer impact isn't a winning argument in this case. If we were in a more eco-savvy state, developments might be forced to build with less density, composting toilets, xeriscaping, etc. - or not build at all. This is a big deal for cavers, with huge implications for Texas' longest cave. It would be interesting to know where this money is coming from: out-of-state carpetbaggers taking advantage of our lax regs? Whoever they are, I'll be donating to the fight against them.
On Fri, Aug 23, 2019, 5:01 PM Bill Steele <cwilliamste...@gmail.com> wrote: > Tuesday evening I attended the Texas Commission on Water Quality (TCEQ) > public hearing in Bulverde regarding a developer's application to build > four houses per acre, many hundreds of new homes, in the Honey Creek > drainage basin and be able to dump 500,000 of treated sewage into Honey > Creek, effluent which will at times of high water make its way into the > pristine environment of Texas' longest cave. Comments were made by several > Texas cavers, including Joe Ransau, Kurt Menking, Linda Palit, Sandy > Mosier, Allan Cobb, Andy Glusenkamp, and me. To me, the most moving comment > made was that by the cave's owner, and a good friend to our caving > community, Joyce Moore. Here it is in its entirety. > > Bill Steele speleoste...@aol.com > > > Honey Creek Discharge Permit Comments > > from Honey Creek Spring Ranch > > by Joyce Moore > > > > My name is Joyce Gass Moore. I am a 5th-generation Texas, and a 5th-generation > co-owner of Honey Creek Spring Ranch. Our ranch is located in far > western Comal County, and downstream of a proposed Silesia properties > development known as Honey Creek Ranch. And so I speak to you today not > only as an affected landowner, but as a very concerned citizen. > > When my son and nephew take over the management of Honey Creek Spring > Ranch, it will represent 6 generations of continuous family ownership and a > legacy of stewardship dating back to 1846 when my ancestors first set foot > on Texas soil. As German-immigrants, my family was one of only a few who > homesteaded western Comal County—3 of whom (all neighbors) applied for land > deeds on the same day in 1871. Because the waters of Honey Creek were so > important to the settlement of Comal County, our entire ranch was > recognized as a State Historic Site by the Texas Historical Commission; and > in 2018 was Listed in the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. > Department of the Interior National Park Service. > > My ancestors knew hardship and fought to protect their land and Honey > Creek. They carved the ranch out of cedar and live oak covered hills, > suffered thru drought, disease, and bank failures, and sacrificed > everything they had to nurture, protect, and improve the land they loved. > And now—150 years later, once again we are threatened by those who seek to > cash in on the land in order to capitalize on its value. Despite what they > may tell you, these folks do not hold the best interest of the land or its > natural resources at heart. This is very evident in the description of the > development being planned. My ancestors would be so deeply disappointed in > what western Comal County has become, and in the landowners, who are > allowing this to happen. > > The Texas Hill Country is known for its aesthetic beauty—people have been > drawn to this area for generations—drawn to its crystal-clear streams and > scenic vistas. Unfortunately, all this beauty rests atop a particularly > fragile ecosystem—a calcareous limestone substrate known as *karst*. > Although not a geologist or a hydrologist, I do understand how infiltration > works—how water moves thru a karst system. Surface recharge features > (cracks, fissures, pits, sumps) are all designed to move water quickly into > subterranean acquifers (the Edwards, the Trinity, and Cow Creek are all > examples). These aquifers provide the drinking water for millions of > people. Springs flowing from these same aquifers provide critical habitat > to a unique group of plant and animal species—many of which are found only > in the most protected streams and riparian areas of Central Texas. Until > this proposed development and wastewater discharge became a possibility, > Honey Creek was one of the most protected aquatic systems in the Hill > Country. > > The number of these pristine riparian systems are shrinking rapidly—most > of it due to rampant and unregulated development over the recharge area, > and the failure of an already-broken system intended to regulate the > disposal of wastewater. I think it very ironic that the name chosen for the > area by my ancestors (Honey Creek) is the same name chosen by newcomers to > become their sales pitch. It is the same aquatic system that will be > destroyed if this Honey Creek Ranch permit is approved. > > Treated effluent discharged into a tributary of Honey Creek will > absolutely, negatively impact water quality--primarily through significant > increases of Nitrogen and Phosphate levels. These nutrients will encourage > the growth of algae and will degrade the recreational and aesthetic value > of Honey Creek. Decaying mats of algae will impact Dissolved Oxygen levels > and will almost certainly have a devastating effect on aquatic life. The > introduction of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products contained in the > effluent will eventually enter Honey Creek and then will become a dramatic > example of how a once un-impaired aquatic system with exceptional levels of > aquatic life use, was degraded due to wastewater and high-density > residential development. It will become yet another Poster Child for Poor > Management—all in the Name of Progress! > > And if 500,000 gallons of treated wastewater discharge were not a large > enough problem, the non-point source pollution reaching the creek during > storm events and leaching into the aquifer will be an even greater problem. > Herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers used on turfgrass lawns, and > oil/fluids leaking from thousands of additional cars will wreak havoc on > our groundwater. Because of the immense footprint of this development, > open ground will be significantly diminished; stormwater runoff will > increase from the many impervious surfaces (roads, driveways, and > rooftops). As a result, downstream flooding of Honey Creek will increase in > both rate and severity, greatly increasing soil erosion along the > streambed, and resulting in significantly diminished water quality. The > pristine Honey Creek as I know it, as my family knows it, will be but a > fleeting memory. This includes not only the stream itself, but also a 20+ > mile network of subterranean, water-filled karst passage known as Honey > Creek Cave. The cave and spring system form yet another unique ecosystem > which has been studied and documented on our ranch for over 40 years by > trained experts (many of whom are in this room tonight). It is inhabited by > unique aquatic species, several of which are state threatened, and at least > one which may possibly receive federal protection, and all of which are > considered Species of Greatest Conservation Need. Without question, ALL of > these species (which require clean, clear water to survive) will be > negatively impacted, and most likely extirpated. Who will monitor the > effluent discharge with regard to its environmental impacts? And when > violations occur, will the violators be held accountable? The irony is that > *when* the sewage treatment plant fails (because ALL eventually fail), > the damage suffered by the ecosystem will already have taken its toll. > > Trespass will now also become a major problem to those of us who live > downstream. Ambitious adventurers will trek illegally from their suburban > lots seeking open space. They will venture onto adjoining properties such > as the state-owned Honey Creek State Natural Area and beyond. What > assurances do neighboring landowners have that measures will be taken to > prevent trespass and vandalism, and who will pay for it when it happens? > Who will be held accountable? > > As a downstream property owner; as a directly-impacted landowner with > standing, I respectfully request to file a contested case hearing in this > matter. And I would ask the members of TCEQ (those present here tonight, > and those who will decide the eventual fate of Honey Creek), to explain how > such a permit can even be considered for approval? Unfortunately, God is > not creating any more Honey Creek’s, and we are destroying these special > places at a rapid pace. I urge TCEQ to do the right thing instead of > rubber-stamping this project as your agency has a history of doing. And if > it is approved, I hope that each of you can live with your decision, as I > and Honey Creek will be forced to do. > > _______________________________________________ > Texascavers mailing list | http://texascavers.com > Texascavers@texascavers.com | Archives: > http://www.mail-archive.com/texascavers@texascavers.com/ > http://lists.texascavers.com/listinfo/texascavers >
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