Your presence and comments are needed to protect Sam Houston National Forest (SHNF), local farms (Wood Duck Farm, WDF), and ground/surface waters used by the City of Houston, Harris and Montgomery Counties, and individuals from contamination due to the proposed Peach Creek Municipal Landfill (PCML).
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) will hold a virtual public meeting for the PCML proposed permit #2406 on March 22, 2022, 7 pm. We need your participation at this meeting! Send the message to TCEQ that this landfill isn’t welcome in our forests, farms, and communities. Read on and participate!!!
The almost 200-foot-tall, generations-lasting, PCML would be constructed/operated next to 4,000 acres of SHNF, WDF, many private residences/landowners in San Jacinto/Montgomery Counties, City of Cleveland, Fostoria, Jayhawker, and Pine Valley Roads, and streams/floodplains that flow into Lake Houston our drinking water lake!
Dumping of garbage, rubbish, ashes, street cleanings, dead animals, slaughterhouse waste, contaminated soil, asbestos-containing material, sludge, brush, construction waste, demolition waste, grease trap waste, grit trap waste, municipal source liquid waste, empty pesticide containers, oil/gas/geothermal waste, medical waste, nonindustrial solid waste, electronic waste, X-ray/other radiation-producing equipment, and waste generated outside of Texas that contains industrial waste, waste associated with oil/gas/geothermal exploration production/development activities is allowed at PCML.
Stop this travesty by:
1. Sending a letter/electronic comment (submitted by March 22, 2022) to TCEQ and opposing PCML, Permit #2406. Demand protection for SHNF, small, private, sustainable farms/homesteads. PCML will have environmental impacts that cannot be successfully resolved including road access, water, air, noise, odor, litter, scenic pollution, flooding, fires, feral pigs, road overuse/damage, and others.
Comment by: 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/.
2. Attending the March 22, 2022 virtual public meeting via this link: https://www.gotomeeting.com/webinar/join-webinar and by entering Webinar ID 844-640-627. Join the meeting at least 15 minutes before it begins. Numbers matter, so be counted!
3. Providing oral comments against the PCML during the March 22, 2022 Formal Comment Period. Only oral comments/questions made during the Formal Comment Period are considered/responded to by TCEQ in writing.
4. Asking questions/making comments during the Informal Discussion Period on March 22, 2022.
5. If you don’t have internet access, call 512-239-1201, at least one day prior to the meeting (March 21st) to register/obtain information about how to participate via telephone.
6. If you want only to listen to the meeting, call 914-614-3221, and enter access code 574-683-032.
7. The permit application can be viewed online at https://peachcreekep.com/resources/ or at the Shepherd Public Library, 30 North Liberty Street, Shepherd, Texas 77371.
What’s at Stake!
SHNF provides clean ground/surface drinking water for local citizens and the City of Houston. The beautiful forests and wetlands of SHNF and surrounding private lands are San Jacinto Flatwoods with streams like Whiskey Branch, Jayhawker Creek, Blue Branch, Gum Branch, Shell Branch, Boggy Creek, and Peach Creek.
Water percolates through sandy soils and feeds streams/aquifers/water tables/gravel beds. The federally endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker, White-tailed Deer, Gray Squirrel, Pileated Woodpecker, and other wildlife are found in Loblolly and Shortleaf Pine, Bottomland Hardwood-Pine, and other forest habitats in SHNF or the area.
WDF is an 87-acre sustainable farm that grows specialty greens for Houston/Austin/Dallas restaurants. WDF sells produce at Urban Harvest Farmer’s Market to the public like sweet potatoes, spinach, potatoes, peppers, radishes, corn, carrots, arugula, strawberries, blackberries, beans, basil, broccoli, cabbage, onions, eggplant, kale, lettuce, cucumbers, cauliflower, and more.
What to Say!
State in your comments that you want Permit #2406, PCML, denied and if this doesn’t occur that you want a contested case hearing.
include your contact information (mailing address/phone number/email); state you are concerned about unacceptable environmental impacts that PCML may have on SHNF and WDF; state you are concerned about road access, water, air, noise, odor, litter, scenic pollution, feral pigs, flooding, fires, road overuse/damage, and other impacts PCML may have. Say you oppose the PCML.
Your comment letter may look like the following:
Date:
Office of Chief Clerk
MC 105
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
P.O. Box 13087
Austin, Texas 78711-3087
Dear Chief Clerk,
I urge you to deny Permit #2406, Peach Creek Municipal Landfill (PCML).
I am concerned that unacceptable environmental impacts will occur in Sam Houston National Forest, Wood Duck Farm, and private homesteads due to PCML.
(if you have visited SHNF tell TCEQ this, why you visit, and what it means to you; if you have bought WDF produce state why you did so and what this means to you; if you live near the PCML site, tell TCEQ and describe how close you are).
Road access, water, air, noise, odor, litter, scenic pollution, feral pigs, flooding, fires, road overuse/damage, and other environmental impacts that PCML has are unacceptable and cannot be safely mitigated.
(If you can, expand on these environmental concerns or add other issues).
Because of these problems I oppose Permit #2406 and TCEQ should deny this permit.
I look forward to hearing from you soon about my request to deny PCML Permit #2406. If TCEQ does not deny this permit it should hold a contested case hearing so that those who will suffer environmental impacts due to the PCML can be heard. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Your name, mailing address, phone number, and email
Please send your comment now! For more information, contact Brandt Mannchen at: 281-570-7212 or brandt_mannchen@comcast.net.