A proposed frac sand mine is supposed to come to Atascosa County but not if it’s residents have anything to say about it. The company intends to move and shift its plant, along with their heaviest operations, away from the neighborhoods due to the disapproval of those in the area. Although Preferred Sands, a Pennsylvania company, has the necessary permit, they have voluntarily stopped construction so that they can redo the plans.
A spokesman for Preferred Sand indicated that they felt that it was the right thing to do since they are trying to be patient and respectful. Also, since things take time, they want to be able to effectively address the concerns of those involved. The plant is intended to process more than 400 tons of sand an hour. Preferred Sands owns over 2,000 acres of land in Atascosa County and parts of Bexar County. Although neighbors are hopeful, they are skeptical. However, they are in anticipation of what is to follow. They are waiting to see if the new plans will actually move the heaviest machinery and labor intensive work away from their homes. Many are still holding their breaths according to a local resident, Jessica Hardy. She is an organizer of a group called Not Just Dust-Bruce Road, which opposes the development.
The sand will be used to frack in the Eagle Ford Shale oil field. The fracking along with a water, sand and chemical mixture will be used to crack hard rock so that they can get the hard to reach oil. Previously, an increase in shale drilling caused an increase also in sand. However, today companies benefit more from fracking the wells since the sand offers them an increased amount of oil. These same companies also know that while the sand here in Texas may not be as good as sand in other parts of the world, it is sufficient and it is less expensive to transport.
Why Sand Mine in Atascosa County
Sand mining is nothing new in Atascosa County or in parts of Bexar County. However, there is expected to be increased activity in the coming years. In fact, there is another desirable area close to the Preferred Sands drilling area, which Osburn Materials in San Antonio have mined sand from to use in building construction, development of baseball fields and golf courses. Another mining company, Emerge Energy Services offered to pay $20 million to acquire Osburn Materials and turn it into a much bigger mine to further service the oil business.
As if repurposing the land and incurring additional fees to move the construction site were not enough, Preferred Sands is now receiving opposition from historians who want to preserve the land while they hunt for the remains of those who may have lost their lives in the Battle of Medina, in this part of Texas. Due to the increased opposition from those living in the area, it is uncertain at this point what will happen. However, it is clear that the residents of Atascosa County, Texas are not having it!