LCRA approves permit for Burnet quarry
The site of a proposed rock-crushing plant near the city of Burnet. Map courtesy of Randy Printz
The Lower Colorado River Authority on June 18 approved a quarry/mine permit for Asphalt Inc., giving the Austin-based company another green light on the road to building a rock-crushing plant southwest of Burnet.
The quarry is planned for 700 acres at 3221 FM 3509, also known as Hoover Valley Road, near Inks Lake and Longhorn Cavern state parks, Camp Longhorn, and Inks Dam National Fish Hatchery.
Asphalt Inc., which does business as Lone Star Paving, already received an air-quality permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality despite protests from residents, local leaders, and SaveBurnet.com, a grassroots group fiercely opposed to the project due to environmental concerns.
“Obviously, it’s a setback we didn’t anticipate with LCRA, especially with all the info we provided,” said Randy Printz with SaveBurnet.com. “But it’s not over yet. We still have the Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District and there’s also TxDOT, because they are going to have to change the highway (widen it for trucks).”
Printz was referring to Asphalt Inc. still needing approval from the GCD, which manages groundwater in Burnet County, and the Texas Department of Transportation.
The company applied for a permit under LCRA’s Highland Lakes Watershed Ordinance for an aggregate processing plant and quarry near Inks Lake. The river authority accepted public comment on the application until May 13.
“(Local) input is important to us, and we want to make sure that we are respectful of that and provide an ample opportunity for them to provide their comment,” LCRA Executive Vice President of Water John Hofmann told DailyTrib.com at a May public meeting in Burnet.
The LCRA’s Wednesday decision was unexpected for some.
“We are very disappointed that the LCRA did allow this permit, although we do understand they are restricted at what they can look at and what they can do,” said Fermin Ortiz, another member of SaveBurnet.com. “It is an unfortunate reality that LCRA is limited to asking people to not water their flowers but cannot do anything to stop the hundreds of thousands of gallons of water that Asphalt Inc. declared will be their monthly usage in their permit application.”
SaveBurnet.com will hold a private meeting on June 23 to plan its next steps.
“We will start going over all the information and come up with a new finalized attack plan,” Printz said. “There is still a long way to go before a plant is built.”
4 thoughts on “LCRA approves permit for Burnet quarry”
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So on March 9, 2021 the City of Burnet’s Mayor passed & approved to extend the Burnet City Manager’s authorization to negotiate a real estate contract with Delaware Spring Ranch Investments, LLC for the sale of 42 acres of city land located west of the Burnet Municipal Golf Course. On September 14, 2021 the Burnet City Council adopted the Ordinance/Resolution R-2021-46 stating that. Then on September 28, 2021 the Burnet City Council adopted R-2021-49 bc it appears sometimes in August, 2021 Delaware Spring Ranch Investments, LLC changed their name to Burnet Ranch Investments, LLC. Then on December 18, 2023 HVPR4, LLC sold 710.32 acres to Burnet Ranch Investments, LLC who according to the Burnet County Appraisal District Property Search owns the 710.32 acres – Owner ID 255341.
So disappointed.
They’ll be bought as well. Clearly someone at LCRA was paid off. I’m confident the TexasGroundwater will be paid off as well.
Tragic. LCRA and TCEQ should be ashamed.