Zachry toll road construction crew causes sewage spill over the Edwards Aquifer
Toll Road Opponents Cite Environmental Concerns
1/12/2006
Jim Forsyth
WOAI TV San Antonio
Copyright 2006
Anti toll road activists say a sewage spill over the Edwards Aquifer apparently caused by a Zachry Corporation crew doing sitework for the new Highway 281 toll road, 1200 WOAI news reported today.
Environmental activist Annalisa Peace says the damage occurred when the crews were clearing brush in mid December, but was not officially reported until this week due to bureaucratic snags.
"It looks like the road crew that is clearing for TxDOT was responsible for shearing off the top of the sewer line," Peace told 1200 WOAI's Michael Board.
Sudie Sartor with the anti toll Texas Toll Party says the incident will give a judge the smelly evidence he needs to rule that the toll project should be halted because the builders are ignoring environmental laws.
"There are some scary things going on," she said. "We need to protect our environment. We need to protect our water source."
Environmental and anti toll groups filed suit in Federal Court last month, seeking to stop the toll road construction until a complete environmental assessment of the project is completed, a project which could take years.
Toll road supporters say tolls are the fastest and easiest way to relieve the city's growing problem of traffic congestion and make sure the users of the highways pay the costs of the new construction. There is widespread speculation among people on both sides of the issue that the Texas Department of Transportation will order a halt to the construction preparations before the case goes to trial.
"They have stopped for now," Sartor said.
The sewage spill is being cleaned up by environmental officials today.
© 2006 Clear Channel Broadcasting, Inc. www.woai.com
1/12/2006
Jim Forsyth
WOAI TV San Antonio
Copyright 2006
Anti toll road activists say a sewage spill over the Edwards Aquifer apparently caused by a Zachry Corporation crew doing sitework for the new Highway 281 toll road, 1200 WOAI news reported today.
Environmental activist Annalisa Peace says the damage occurred when the crews were clearing brush in mid December, but was not officially reported until this week due to bureaucratic snags.
"It looks like the road crew that is clearing for TxDOT was responsible for shearing off the top of the sewer line," Peace told 1200 WOAI's Michael Board.
Sudie Sartor with the anti toll Texas Toll Party says the incident will give a judge the smelly evidence he needs to rule that the toll project should be halted because the builders are ignoring environmental laws.
"There are some scary things going on," she said. "We need to protect our environment. We need to protect our water source."
Environmental and anti toll groups filed suit in Federal Court last month, seeking to stop the toll road construction until a complete environmental assessment of the project is completed, a project which could take years.
Toll road supporters say tolls are the fastest and easiest way to relieve the city's growing problem of traffic congestion and make sure the users of the highways pay the costs of the new construction. There is widespread speculation among people on both sides of the issue that the Texas Department of Transportation will order a halt to the construction preparations before the case goes to trial.
"They have stopped for now," Sartor said.
The sewage spill is being cleaned up by environmental officials today.
© 2006 Clear Channel Broadcasting, Inc.
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Thursday, January 12, 2006
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