Dos Republicas Coal Partnership files Application to Renew & Revise Eagle Pass Mine Permit with Railroad Commission of Texas
By: Miguel Munoz, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2016
The Railroad Commission of Texas has written a letter, dated December 7, 2016, to Eagle Pass and Maverick County, Texas governmental entities, businesses, and individuals notifying them that Dos Republicas Coal Partnership (DRCP) filed an Application on November 4, 2016 to renew and revise Permit No. 42B for its Eagle Pass Mine to conduct continued mining and mining-related activities within the currently approved permit area.
Although the City of Eagle Pass, Maverick County, Maverick County Environmental and Public Health Association, and local farmers and ranchers are appealing the Railroad Commission of Railroad’s January 29, 2013 Permit to DRCP to construct and operate an open surface coal mine named Eagle Pass Mine within three miles of the City of Eagle Pass’s extraterritorial jurisdiction and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) permit to DRCP to discharge its coal mining waste waters into Elm Creek and Rio Grande River only one to two miles upstream of the City of Eagle Pass’s Municipal Water Treatment Plant to the Texas Supreme Court and Texas Fourth Court of Appeals, respectively, DRCP permit is only for five years and is required to apply for renewal of its permits in order to continue operating the controversial Eagle Pass Mine in a densely populated area off of FM 1588 (Thompson Road).
The Railroad Commission of Texas letter states that DRCP’s “application has been declared administratively complete and is presently undergoing technical review. Staff anticipates completing its initial review of the application no later than January 6, 2017. A copy of the application is available for inspection at our office in Austin, located in the William B. Travis Building at 1701 N. Congress Avenue. Our records room is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, excepting holidays. You may also contact personnel in the SMRD records section at (512) 461-6901 to request copies of all or portions of the renewal/revision application.”
The Railroad Commission of Texas letter states that “there will be an opportunity for any person with an interest which is or may be adversely affected to request a public hearing. The applicant is required to publish notice of the application following approval of the proposed wording of the notice by the Hearing Examiner assigned to this docket. After publication of the notice, comments may be filed with the Hearings Examiner. Until that time, please send any comments regarding processing of this application to the Commission’s Office of General Counsel at the following address: Mr. Kyle Lebby, Administrative Law Judge, Hearings Division, Railroad Commission of Texas, P.O. Box 12967, Austin, Texas 78711-2967.”
The Railroad Commission of Texas letter is signed by J. Denny Kingsley, Director, Surface Mining and Reclamation Division, Railroad Commission of Texas.
This first notice letter provides Maverick Countians an opportunity to object or write comments to DRCP’s Application for Renewal and Revision of its Eagle Pass Mine Permit No. 42B.
