Public meeting set for Huber air quality permit application
Huber Carbonates LLC, a branch of Huber Engineered Materials, wants to increase mining and rock-crushing production at its plant in southern Marble Falls, just off of U.S. 281. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
Huber Carbonates is in pursuit of an expanded air quality permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to increase its allowable dust production at its limestone quarry on U.S. 281 in Marble Falls. The TCEQ is hosting an open meeting on the matter to get public feedback before making a decision on the permit application.
The public meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 7, in the Max Copeland Gym at Marble Falls High School, 2101 Mustang Drive.
The permit request was originally made in January 2025, when Huber asked to roughly quadruple its allowable dust output, which would allow for increased aggregate production and storage. Marble Falls leadership formally opposed the permit request in May 2025, and has maintained that opposition since.
“The city of Marble Falls is closely monitoring the permit request from Huber Carbonates LLC that could increase production, operating hours, and emissions within city limits,” reads a statement issued by the city on Monday, May 4. “Given the potential impacts on the community, the city has formally submitted opposition to the permit amendment.”
Background
File a public comment at the meeting or file one online with the TCEQ. To submit a comment, visit this link and enter the permit number 8252.
According to Huber’s air quality permit application, the company is asking for overall increases to its allowable “particulate matter emissions” at its quarry, referring to the potentially airborne dust and debris that would be produced from its limestone mining operation. Depending on their size, the particles can be classified as “inhalable,” which poses health risks like decreased lung function, asthma, and other respiratory issues.
The smaller the particle, the greater the potential health impacts.
• Totalparticulatematterincreaserequest-from2.45tonsperyearto10.54tonsper year (314 percent increase)
• Requestforincreasetoparticulatematterof10micrometersorless-from1.9tonsper year to 6.26 tons per year (229 percent increase)
• Requestfordecreasetoparticulatematterof2.5micrometersorless-from.95tons per year to .94 tons per year (1 percent decrease)
At this stage, the permit amendment application has been declared “administratively complete,” and a technical review by the TCEQ is underway.