Conroe Courier - News
Sadler vows meeting with Perry on TexCom well
By Howard Roden
THE WOODLANDS – After listening to opponents of the proposed TexCom injection well for nearly two hours, Gary Conwell left the meeting both impressed and convinced.
One of about 20 people who attended the meeting at the Montgomery County South Region Library Tuesday night, Conwell was impressed by the dedication of those seeking to fight the permit request for a commercial Class I nonhazardous wastewater injection well in the old Conroe oil field.
“If this group didn’t get organized and continued working against that permit, a decision would have been made based on misinformation,” said The Woodlands resident, referring to the organization Stop The Toxic Wells and Citizens Residents Oppose Well.
That group of residents, along with Montgomery County, the city of Conroe and the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, is trying to block the request by TexCom Gulf Disposal Inc., of Houston, for the permit by the the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Located in the vicinity of Creighton Road and FM 3083, the well is far from Conwell’s neighborhood in The Woodlands. But he now believes the injection well is more than Conroe’s problem.
“It’s everyone’s problem,” he said.
It was a message reiterated by Stop The Toxic Wells/CROW spokeswoman Jennifer Real, who emceed the event. TexCom’s plan to inject diluted chemicals into a fault-ridden Conroe oil field will spread the chemicals for miles, she said.
Real mentioned how the San Jacinto River Authority’s plan to convert Montgomery County to a greater use of surface water makes people believe there’s no longer a need for aquifers and groundwater.
“People living in The Woodlands may think that, but you can’t clean them (the aquifers) out. It might not happen in the next couple of years, but (the well) will poison the water and it will be in a lot of back yards,” she said.
Making a brief stop at the meeting, County Judge Alan B. Sadler pledged to arrange a face-to-face meeting between Gov. Rick Perry and state Sens. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, and Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, about the injection well permit.
At first, Sadler vowed Perry “will hear from me between now and November,” but later said the meeting would occur by Oct. 1.
“It’s an election year. The governor needs Montgomery County,” said Sadler, who received applause from the audience.
Sadler is seeking re-election against independent Adrian Heath, of The Woodlands in November. Contacted at home Tuesday, Heath declined comment on Sadler’s remarks.
Although not in attendance, Nichols sent a letter professing his continued opposition to the proposed injection well.
With the assistance of local governmental entities, Nichols said he and state Rep. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, have been able “to keep TexCom on the ropes” and face some “hard questions” about safety, testing and methodology at TCEQ hearings.
In the letter read by well opponent Darcy Pawlak, Nichols brought up TexCom’s alleged falsification of mineral rights ownership in its permit application.
“I’ve written a letter to the executive director of the TCEQ asking he look into this matter,” stated Nichols, adding that information should have a great impact on final approval or disapproval of the permit.
“On the legislative side, I will continue to serve on the Sunset Commission to reform the injection well permitting process of the TCEQ,” he stated in the letter.
Howard Roden can be reached at hroden@hcnonline.com.
One of about 20 people who attended the meeting at the Montgomery County South Region Library Tuesday night, Conwell was impressed by the dedication of those seeking to fight the permit request for a commercial Class I nonhazardous wastewater injection well in the old Conroe oil field.
“If this group didn’t get organized and continued working against that permit, a decision would have been made based on misinformation,” said The Woodlands resident, referring to the organization Stop The Toxic Wells and Citizens Residents Oppose Well.
That group of residents, along with Montgomery County, the city of Conroe and the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, is trying to block the request by TexCom Gulf Disposal Inc., of Houston, for the permit by the the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Located in the vicinity of Creighton Road and FM 3083, the well is far from Conwell’s neighborhood in The Woodlands. But he now believes the injection well is more than Conroe’s problem.
“It’s everyone’s problem,” he said.
It was a message reiterated by Stop The Toxic Wells/CROW spokeswoman Jennifer Real, who emceed the event. TexCom’s plan to inject diluted chemicals into a fault-ridden Conroe oil field will spread the chemicals for miles, she said.
Real mentioned how the San Jacinto River Authority’s plan to convert Montgomery County to a greater use of surface water makes people believe there’s no longer a need for aquifers and groundwater.
“People living in The Woodlands may think that, but you can’t clean them (the aquifers) out. It might not happen in the next couple of years, but (the well) will poison the water and it will be in a lot of back yards,” she said.
Making a brief stop at the meeting, County Judge Alan B. Sadler pledged to arrange a face-to-face meeting between Gov. Rick Perry and state Sens. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, and Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, about the injection well permit.
At first, Sadler vowed Perry “will hear from me between now and November,” but later said the meeting would occur by Oct. 1.
“It’s an election year. The governor needs Montgomery County,” said Sadler, who received applause from the audience.
Sadler is seeking re-election against independent Adrian Heath, of The Woodlands in November. Contacted at home Tuesday, Heath declined comment on Sadler’s remarks.
Although not in attendance, Nichols sent a letter professing his continued opposition to the proposed injection well.
With the assistance of local governmental entities, Nichols said he and state Rep. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, have been able “to keep TexCom on the ropes” and face some “hard questions” about safety, testing and methodology at TCEQ hearings.
In the letter read by well opponent Darcy Pawlak, Nichols brought up TexCom’s alleged falsification of mineral rights ownership in its permit application.
“I’ve written a letter to the executive director of the TCEQ asking he look into this matter,” stated Nichols, adding that information should have a great impact on final approval or disapproval of the permit.
“On the legislative side, I will continue to serve on the Sunset Commission to reform the injection well permitting process of the TCEQ,” he stated in the letter.
Howard Roden can be reached at hroden@hcnonline.com.
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