Residents of Wilco fear that a planned chemical plant could cause environmental damage
McCormick believes that the manufacturing process will pose a threat to the environment and the North Fork San Gabriel River, which is located just a mile away. McCormick noted that the river flows into Georgetown.
WILLIAMSON COUNTY in Texas – The proposed location for Exfluor research corporation’s new production facility is on County Road 236, just north of Highway 183. It’s about seven miles west of the town Florence.
These renderings show the potential 36-acre investment worth $10 million. The company is still waiting to hear from the FAA about a final decision regarding an air permit. Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
On April 11, TCEQ ceased accepting public comment via its website. Information about the process is available on state notification signs. Protest banners from property owners groups also provide information.
“Wrong place, wrong timing,” said Brice McCormick.
McCormick heads up North San Gabriel Alliance. In an effort to stop the site being developed, the group started an online petition. Nearly 2,500 people have signed the petition as at Monday, April 18th.
The plan is to present the document to the TCEQ within 30 days.
“It’s wonderful, the community response is unbelievable,” said McCormick.
Exfluor Research CorporationRound Rock-based company, converts hydrocarbons in fluorocarbons. Its products were originally developed for NASA, the Air Force, and other agencies. According to its website, the company also makes products that can be used on televisions, satellites, and pharmaceuticals.
McCormick thinks that manufacturing will also pose an environmental risk to nearby residents. He also believes that it will be a threat for the North Fork of San Gabriel River which is just one mile away. McCormick noted that the river flows into Georgetown.
“We are concerned about chemical pollution into the river. McCormick stated that Exfluor is not the only reason for our alliance. It is also for future generations, which will ensure pure drinking water for Georgetown.
The group also says that traffic to the company cannot be supported by the small county road. Local emergency responders are not equipped to handle a hazmat scenario if it occurs.
Exfluor officials declined to speak on camera. FOX 7 was informed that a safety program will be in place. FOX 7 was also told in a statement that the alliance had been accused of “fearmongering”, by spreading misleading information. Eric Bierschenk, the head of engineering denied any specific claim about the river.
“We don’t have, nor have ever applied for, a permit to discharge process water at the proposed site. Our facility is designed to be zero-water discharge. Bierschenk said that 100% of our process water would be recycled or treated and evaporated.
McCormick doesn’t believe the company will change its mind after meeting with residents on Saturday.
“There are many places where such things are accepted, not just here.” McCormick said, “I wish them great luck but not in mine backyard.”
A spokesperson for TCEQ stated that a decision would not be made until the agency’s executive director has responded to all public comments.
Below, you can find Exfluor’s full statement:
“Thanks for reaching out to us about our new facility we are building in northern Williamson County. North San Gabriel Alliance (NSGA), and their change.org petition continue to use terms such as chemical plant and imagery of billowing smokestacks to terrorize residents living near our proposed facility. This alliance continues to mislead the community with misleading information. The most outrageous claim by the NSGA was that we “obtained a wastewater discharge permit, which would allow wastewater to drain into the North Fork San Gabriel River.” – change.org dated March 29, 2022. We have provided numerous factual records to the alliance stating that we don’t possess or have never applied for a permit for any process water to be discharged at this proposed location. Our facility is designed as a zero-water discharge facility. All of our process water will either be recycled or treated before it evaporates. Surprisingly, the alliance continues spreading this lie on their Facebook page. This has caused concern from responsible residents as well as media outlets.
Exfluor has been a leader in the fight against Perfluoroalkyl Substances’ (PFAS) proliferation in drinking water and rivers across the United States. Exfluor has worked closely with the EPA to synthesize Carbon-13-labeled PFAS compounds that can be used as analytical standards. This allows environmental labs and regulatory agencies finally to have an accurate test to determine the amount of PFAS present in a sample. Exfluor is the only company capable of producing these compounds that can be used to accurately test for PFAS. Ironically, the NSGA could be a major threat to the ongoing fight against PFAS contamination of our water and rivers.
The proposed facility will require a minimum of $10 million investment. This proposed R&D center is located near Florence due to the growing demand for specialty pharmaceuticals. We plan to continue research and development of proprietary oxygen carriers, which will revolutionize the way common drugs are administered to millions of Americans. Additionally, we plan to synthesize anti-stiction agents for MEMS (Micro-electromechanical systems) and continue production of a high-performance lubricant currently in use in over 50% of the world’s computer hard drives. We are the only producer of many of our compounds worldwide and we create specialized compounds for specific applications.
I hope that we will be a positive contribution to the community. We are a small business that currently employs less than 25 employees, many with a bachelor’s, master’s, or Ph.D.’s in science or engineering fields. Two full-time employees are dedicated to safety, health, and the environment. Exfluor’s future business prospects are very positive. We have the potential to hire more STEM and other specialist positions. For the foreseeable, Exfluor expects strong growth in its business. We expect that the demand for skilled labor and high-paying jobs in northern Williamson County will increase with our projected growth.”
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