Neighbors Struggle With South Texas Sand Mining Boom
Atascosa County is just south of San Antonio. It is home to about 45,000 people. It is perhaps better known for the Poteet Strawberry Festival and being the birthplace of George Strait than it is for fracking and natural gas. But in recent months, energy companies have flocked to the area.
Driving down the road off of 281, south of San Antonio, you’re likely to notice a huge cloud of dust trailing behind the back wheels of your vehicle. The soil here in this stretch of farms, ranches and homesteads is famous for being sandy. It’s the very reason the region is able to produce delicious strawberries. And it’s also the reason folks in the energy industry are interested in Atascosa County.
As the fracking boom continues, sand mines have begun to pop up across Texas. A certain type of sand is required in the fracking process – and Atascosa County has it.
Texas Sandmining, which is owned by a Pennsylvania company , is trying to set up shop in the area. And that has some residents upset. The company bought a site some believe is where the Battle of the Medina took place. That was the bloodiest battle in Texas’ fight for independence.
Read more: http://www.texasstandard.org/stories/neighbors-struggle-with-south-texas-sand-mining-boom/
