On September 28, 2021, at a virtual public meeting held by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) the public stated “loud and clear” that it did not support the proposed 635-acre Peach Creek Landfill (PCL, Permit #2406), located next to Sam Houston National Forest (SHNF) in San Jacinto County near the Montgomery County line.
Thirty-five people signed up to speak and others asked questions about the proposal. All who did, either opposed the landfill outright, or asked for further studies and environmental protection standards. About 130 people attended the virtual public meeting including representatives from the Lone Star Chapter and Houston Regional Group of the Sierra Club, Bayou City Waterkeeper, Wood Duck Farm (WDF), and countless residents who want to protect their families and their quality and way of life!
Many residents who live within a few miles of the proposed landfill attended and spoke eloquently about how they would be harmed by the project. Concerns included that within a few miles of the proposed landfill site there are already four permitted landfills, leaking leachate and dust pollution from garbage trucks, debilitated local county roads which will deteriorate further with 100’s of truck visits/day, the lack of local funds to fix these roads, drinking well water contamination, air pollution from the landfill, groundwater contamination, and protection of SHNF.
Mr. Jason Roesner, District Ranger, U.S. Forest Service (FS), for SHNF, spoke and said the FS was preparing comments about a list of concerns that they had about the proposed landfill.
The Sierra Club stated, “SHNF acts as a giant recharge zone (sponge) and overland flow buffer for water quality, water quantity, and the reduction in flooding for streams, groundwater areas, and wetlands. A landfill disrupts these important functions and makes clean water a difficult if not impossible goal.”
“All landfills leak. Nothing lasts forever … Water quality problems are fated as a part of landfills but are pushed off to the future via the subsidy of a state permit. This socializes the costs for Mississippi investors and minimizes their risk, as landfill owners and or permit holders.”
“There are certain places that should never be developed and should never have landfills. TCEQ and the FS should work together to restore, maintain, enhance, and protect streams, recharge zones, their adjacent areas in SHNF to make sure that abundant clean water continues to be our standard and not some memory of the past.”
If you have not submitted your comments on this terrible proposal, there still is time! There are at least 30 more days (until October 28th) for the public to submit comments to the TCEQ. You can comment via: 1. Mail: Office of Chief Clerk, MC 105, TCEQ, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, Texas 78711-3087; 2. Electronically: https://www14.tceq.texas.gov/epic/eComment/.
State in your own words, that you want Permit #2406, PCL: amended to include access roads; support a contested case hearing; are concerned about unacceptable landfill environmental impacts to SHNF and WDF including road access problems, water, air, noise, odor, litter, and scenic pollutions, flooding, fires, and road overuse/damage; you oppose PCL; and include your contact information (mailing address/phone number/email). Please don’t delay, send your comments today!!!
Brandt Mannchen
Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club