Fannin County, Texas -- It was standing-room-only at Mulberry United Methodist Church fellowship hall on Monday night as concerned residents in Fannin County met to discuss how to limit the damage being done to the environment, roads and quality of life by an ever-expanding sand mining industry.
Even as residents are forced to organize in opposition of large-scale sand mining, small counties find themselves held powerless by the state legislature, a fact not lost on an industry that targets rural counties. In most situations, counties with a population less than 50,000 aren't allowed to zone, counties can't impose weight limits more stringent than those set in stone by the state, and small counties are deemed to have little political clout.
Fannin County Pct. 1 Commissioner Troy Waggoner presided over the meeting.
"As far as the county goes, we can't regulate them [sand mines] at all," Waggoner told the crowd, and he suggested contacting District 62 Texas State Representative Shelley Luther and Texas Senator Bryan Hughes.
"If the State of Texas doesn't step in, I don't know what we can do," Waggoner remarked.
The county has stepped up efforts to fine drivers of overweight trucks, enforce noise regulations and hand out tickets for speeding.
Mulberry resident Gregory Hall noted that some sand mines can operate 24-hours-a-day and asked everyone to consider the noise that neighbors could be forced to endure.
"Are we going to have to live with that?" Hall asked. "Is there any way to control the noise?"
Waggoner pointed out that sand mines have noise meters.
Several residents expressed concern over the impact that large-scale sand mining can have on shallow, private water wells that are often 40-70 feet deep.
Landowners were advised that when they do decide to sell a piece of land, they have the right to put deed restrictions/conservation easements in the deed to prevent exploitation of the property once sold. Even if one is leasing property for sand mining, it is important to put a specific reclamation clause into the lease. If not done, the company can just walk away and leave it as is.
Traffic safety is another issue that was mentioned several times.
One thing is certain. Right now, there is a big bull's-eye in the middle of Fannin County as the sand mining industry looks for the cheapest way to feed the concrete tsunami that is creeping north towards Red River.
Any possible action by the state legislature would be, at the very least, two years away. But that may turn out to be the only hope rural counties have to protect the environment and quality of life for residents.
