Published: July 11, 2016 |

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After almost two years of hearings, protests and legal maneuvers, state environmental regulators have approved a wastewater permit that will allow the expansion of a controversial coal mine two hours southwest of San Antonio.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, which met Wednesday in Austin, approved a wastewater discharge permit renewal and expansion for the Dos Republicas coal mine just outside of Eagle Pass.

Already in operation, the permit will allow the coal mine to expand to 6,300 acres. The mine is expected to yield 2.7 million tons of bituminous coal per year for the next seven to eight years.

Dos Republicas Coal Partnership spokesman Rudy Rodriguez said the TCEQ’s decision was fair and went through more than 18 months of hearings and review by agency staff.

“It’s gone through its due process,” Rodriguez said. “It was a very lengthy process. It didn’t happen overnight.”

Rodriguez said the mine has already created 180 jobs and generates $1.3 million in wages per month. Already adhering to strict state and federal environmental regulations, Rodriguez said the facility recycles runoff water captured by retention ponds to control dust at the busy work site.

Dos Republicas started operations last year and is thriving at a time when the coal industry is shrinking across the nation. The coal mined there is not processed in the United States but rather shipped by rail across the border to Mexico, where it is used as fuel for a power plant in the state of Coahuila.

Rodriguez said some of the electricity produced south of the border finds its way back to Texas during the summer when demand is at its highest.

“It prevents blackouts and brownouts and keeps the air conditioning going during the summer,” Rodriguez said.

Source: (July 6, 2016) San Antonio Business Journal

To stop by Dos Republicas’ website, CLICK HERE

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