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August 23, 2021
Bandera Canyonlands Alliance thanks supporters of Save Our Sabinal Campaign
Contributed
The Bandera Canyonlands Alliance (BCA) is expressing thanks to its membership and supporters of the “Save Our Sabinal” campaign. BCA is also applauding Young Life for moving to a zero discharge plan for their camp located between Vanderpool and Utopia. Earlier this month Young Life announced they would switch from a discharge permit to one that will use treated water for irrigation on camp property. This week the Young Life organization has taken the necessary regulatory steps to begin implementing a new plan for wastewater management at the camp.
Young Life has started the regulatory process of securing a Texas Land Application Permit (TLAP) with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) that will allow treated water to be used for irrigation. This week they applied for the new TLAP permit and reuse authorization and most importantly have withdrawn the original discharge permit application.
“It’s important to say thank you for the meaningful efforts undertaken by our membership, volunteers and supporters throughout the region,” BCA President Merry Langlinais said. “Protecting our pristine water in the Upper Sabinal River and conserving our precious groundwater is important to everyone. As a result of Young Life’s new plan, for now the Upper Nueces River Basin will remain free of any permits that allow discharge of treated wastewater effluent into our pure rivers.”
BCA has established a drop-off location in Utopia for landowners and businesses that have been displaying yellow and blue “Save Our Sabinal” signs that will allow them to be repurposed or recycled. When ready to be removed the signs can be dropped off at the Zoi Market in Utopia located at 331 Main Street. Additionally, landowners that would like to have their signs picked up or removed by our volunteers can send contact and address information directly to banderacanyonlandsalliance@earthlink.net. If requested, pick up dates for removal are available through Sept. 18.
“We are very appreciative of Young Life’s dedication to working with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Cibolo Nature Conservancy to accomplish their goals of reusing their wastewater for irrigation and avoiding discharge,” Langlinais said. “We applaud their decision to seek a TLAP permit in this environmentally sensitive area. Our hope is that these efforts, along with other innovative initiatives underway in the Hill Country, will set a new course for how to protect our last pure rivers.”
The new permit applied for by Young Life will now go through the formal TCEQ review process. BCA is in the planning stages for its fall meeting and is planning to invite Young Life representatives to share the details of their Zero Discharge plan for the new camp. Details will be announced soon.
Young Life has started the regulatory process of securing a Texas Land Application Permit (TLAP) with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) that will allow treated water to be used for irrigation. This week they applied for the new TLAP permit and reuse authorization and most importantly have withdrawn the original discharge permit application.
“It’s important to say thank you for the meaningful efforts undertaken by our membership, volunteers and supporters throughout the region,” BCA President Merry Langlinais said. “Protecting our pristine water in the Upper Sabinal River and conserving our precious groundwater is important to everyone. As a result of Young Life’s new plan, for now the Upper Nueces River Basin will remain free of any permits that allow discharge of treated wastewater effluent into our pure rivers.”
BCA has established a drop-off location in Utopia for landowners and businesses that have been displaying yellow and blue “Save Our Sabinal” signs that will allow them to be repurposed or recycled. When ready to be removed the signs can be dropped off at the Zoi Market in Utopia located at 331 Main Street. Additionally, landowners that would like to have their signs picked up or removed by our volunteers can send contact and address information directly to banderacanyonlandsalliance@earthlink.net. If requested, pick up dates for removal are available through Sept. 18.
“We are very appreciative of Young Life’s dedication to working with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Cibolo Nature Conservancy to accomplish their goals of reusing their wastewater for irrigation and avoiding discharge,” Langlinais said. “We applaud their decision to seek a TLAP permit in this environmentally sensitive area. Our hope is that these efforts, along with other innovative initiatives underway in the Hill Country, will set a new course for how to protect our last pure rivers.”
The new permit applied for by Young Life will now go through the formal TCEQ review process. BCA is in the planning stages for its fall meeting and is planning to invite Young Life representatives to share the details of their Zero Discharge plan for the new camp. Details will be announced soon.