Groundwater district taps rock quarry permit as ‘contested matter’
Camp Longhorn is right next door to the site of a proposed 715-acre rock quarry in rural Burnet County. Despite concerns from the public, the quarry project has acquired multiple permits and is just a few steps away from getting an official greenlight. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
The Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District (CTGCD) has designated Asphalt Inc.’s groundwater permit for a proposed 715-acre rock quarry as a “contested matter,” setting the stage for further hearings and an independent review before the district board makes a final decision.
The permit is one of the last steps for the aggregate mining project, to be located near Hoover Valley Road in Burnet County, to begin construction.
Following a preliminary hearing on Wednesday, Oct. 14, the CTGCD, which regulates groundwater use in the county, designated the permit as a contested hearing.
According to CTGCD General Manager Mitchell Sodek, the contested status allowed the groundwater district to refer the proceedings to a separate entity that would review the case and recommend how to proceed.
He added that the CTGCD’s Board of Directors still has final say in the matter.
“The permit application for Asphalt Inc., LLC, is now being handled as a contested matter,” Sodek told DailyTrib. “The applicant requested that the district contract with the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) to conduct further proceedings… Ultimately, the final decision on the permit application rests with the district board.”
Sodek said the district plans to approve a contract with SOAH during the upcoming Nov. 23 board meeting. After approval, SOAH will select an administrative law judge to oversee further contested hearing requests, conduct subsequent proceedings, and make a final recommendation to the board.
Of note, the district received 64 requests for a contested case hearing during the preliminary hearing. Only one request, submitted by the Save Burnet Water Alliance activist group, was cleared as “contested” during the meeting. All other 63 requests will still be considered by SOAH.
The groundwater district’s response to the application
On Sept. 22, three weeks before the preliminary hearing, DailyTrib reporters spoke with CTGCD representatives about their outlook on the proposed rock crusher’s groundwater permit.
Since news of the facility broke in 2024, the project has faced steady community pushback, making it a fairly volatile subject. According to CTGCD Board President Ryan Rowney, the district must still follow established rules and regulations regarding permitting even for quarries.
“At the end of the day, the board is dedicated to following Texas water law and the rules of our own district,” he told DailyTrib. “We’re going to follow the law, and that’s all we can do.”
General Manager Sodek recommended approval of the permit and told DailyTrib the following:
“The application has been determined to be administratively complete, and the district staff has completed its evaluation.
“In developing the recommendation, the district staff evaluated the nature and purpose of the proposed use, the applicant’s water balance estimates, anticipated well run times, available stormwater supplies, and projected water demands for dust suppression and other operational uses to determine the recommended annual production volume.”
More on the quarry and community pushback
Asphalt Inc.’s rock quarry has been in the public eye since the latter half of 2024, and has drawn considerable community backlash due to its close proximity to Camp Longhorn, Longhorn Cavern State Park, Inks Lake State Park, and Inks Dam National Fish Hatchery.
Local activist group Save Burnet has been vocal in the fight against the rock crusher, garnering a large social media following, providing regular updates on the quarry’s progress, and erecting hundreds of lawn signs, banners, and billboards across the county in opposition.
Local and state representatives have joined the fray with their own resistance. Texas House District 19 Representative Ellen Troxclair tried to pass legislation last year that could have halted the quarry, but South Texas representative Terry Canales shot it down.
A small band of Texas musicians even wrote, composed, and produced an original song opposing the quarry, released in June.
The opposition’s hesitations have mainly boiled down to key arguments about how the quarry’s operations would affect the area on several levels. Rock blasting affecting the structural integrity of Longhorn Cavern, noise and dust looming at the nearby children’s summer camp, Camp Longhorn, and the use of local groundwater have been at the forefront of concerns.
Despite the steady pushback, Asphalt Inc. has continued to check regulatory boxes and garner necessary permits, getting closer and closer to operations.