If the Texas Railroad Commission allows a recycling facility for oil and gas industry waste to operate adjacent to Circle Six Baptist Camp, it could mean the camp either may relocate or cease operations.
“We have public health and safety concerns for our campers, staff and families,” said Brian Colbath, executive director of Circle Six Baptist Camp. “We want to keep kids safe.”
Martin Water Midstream acquired the Richards Ranch—1,180 acres across two sections in Martin County—last April and started preliminary construction on a recycling facility on 75 acres.
At a Jan. 30 public hearing in Austin, the Railroad Commission will consider a permit application from Martin Water to operate a stationary treatment facility that would receive, store, handle, treat and recycle oil and gas waste.
The treatment facility, about nine miles north of Stanton, would consist of five above-ground storage tank collecting pits and four below-ground collecting pits.
Circle Six requested the public hearing before the commission, noting concerns about the potential for groundwater contamination and diminished air quality, particularly possible high levels of hydrogen sulfide.
If the permit is granted and the recycling facility begins operating, the camp’s concerns about health and safety could force it to “either move or shut down for good,” Colbath said.
‘Crosses the line into dangerous territory’
In its request for oral argument, Circle Six noted the camp “appreciates and has been part of the oilfield community for decades.”
“Indeed, it has co-existed and, in many ways, benefitted from oil and gas production—it is not opposed to oil and gas production or its related operations, such as commercial recycling of oil and gas wastes,” the document states.
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“However, the proposed Facility crosses the line into dangerous territory and is a direct threat to surface and subservice groundwater and public health and safety.”
The formal request notes the Railroad Commission “has proposed rule changes which would prohibit the construction of the type of pits applied for in this matter within 1,000 feet of a permanent residence, school, hospital or church.”
“The presently constructed pits are well within 1,000 feet of multiple permanent residences, an institution, infirmary, mess hall, camper cabins, and church. The proposed rule change contemplates prohibiting the siting and proposed operations applied for in this matter,” the document states.
“In other words, the Commission knows the present siting of the pits are completely unacceptable, which is why the commercial recycling rules are being amended to reflect present day science and understanding of these types of facilities.”
Company touts ‘state-of-the-art’ system
Martin Water asserted in its formal reply to the commission, “Groundwater will be protected by a state-of-the-art double-liner system with leak detection, plus a third liner—a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL)—underlying the four below-grade pits.”
The facility will include “at least four monitoring wells” to protect groundwater, and all pits will have perimeter berms, the document filed with the Railroad Commission on Dec. 27 stated.
The same document asserts the commission “has issued numerous permits based on the same engineering design” to other companies operating in the region. Martin Water stated its objection to Circle Six applying a “draft rule” that lacks current administrative power.
“But even if the draft language was adopted by the Commission today, it still should not be applied to this Application. The Texas Constitution prohibits retroactive laws,” the document states.
According to the public hearing agenda for Jan. 30, Martin Water’s application for a permit will be the ninth item out of 711 and the first item related to oil and gas issues. Contrary to its name, the Railroad Commission no longer has any jurisdiction over railroads in Texas but serves as the regulatory agency for the oil and gas industry.
Circle Six Baptist Camp and Conference Center serves about 5,500 guests each year, including about 2,100 summer campers, Colbath said.
The camp was founded in 1945 near Big Spring and relocated to its current site at Lenorah in 1959. It is supported by Lamesa Baptist Association and Crossroads Baptist Association.
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