Texas Quarries Propel I-35 Growth, Test Hill Country Limits

In 2012, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality began requiring aggregate production operations to register with the agency. By 2019, registrations had risen from 52 to more than 1,000, according to TCEQ data cited by Texas Standard.

An interactive map published in 2021 by the San Antonio Express-News displayed 1,046 active quarry sites across Texas, based on the state’s registration list. This underscored how mining has spread into fast-growing regions. The map focused particular attention on the Hill Country, where quarries sit in close proximity to new subdivisions and creeks.

State enforcement data show the trend has continued. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s 2025 Annual Enforcement Report notes that 999 aggregate production operations had active registrations in fiscal 2025. This reflects a statewide industry that now numbers in the hundreds of sites in and around major metropolitan areas.

One of the most concentrated clusters is along Interstate 35 northeast of San Antonio. A 2021 investigation by the San Antonio Express-News described “Quarry Row,” a group of 11 rock mining operations stretching nearly 30 miles along I-35. This line runs from the Servtex quarry in Garden Ridge to the Colorado Materials Hunter Plant 2 north of New Braunfels.

For drivers between Austin and San Antonio, the result is visible in the form of terraced pits, stockpiled stone, and heavy truck traffic near the highway. For planners and residents, the same cluster raises questions about how Central Texas will balance demand for construction materials with concerns about dust, noise, runoff, and land use.

Construction Depends on Local Rock

Texas aggregate production registrations grew from 52 in 2012 to more than 1,000 by 2019 and 999 active sites in fiscal 2025, according to TCEQ data.
Eleven limestone quarries form a nearly 30-mile “Quarry Row” along I-35 between Garden Ridge and New Braunfels.
Texas Crushed Stone in Georgetown produces an average of 40,000 tons of crushed limestone daily, moving material by truck and rail to construction jobs.
The Servtex quarry in Garden Ridge is a major taxpayer and employer yet draws resident complaints about blasting, dust, and noise.
Texas regulates aggregate operations primarily through registration and inspections, with no statewide setbacks or reclamation mandates, leaving many land-use decisions to local governments and markets.

A Supply Chain Built on Short Hauls

Quarries along I-35 are positioned to minimize hauling distances for bulky, low-value rock. In Georgetown, just north of Austin, the Texas Crushed Stone quarry sits directly beside Interstate 35 and spans roughly 7,500 acres, according to Texas Crushed Stone Co.

The company reports that it quarries an average of 40,000 tons of rock per day. This material is moved to construction sites on about 1,500 trucks and 100 rail cars.

Near the southern end of Quarry Row, the Servtex plant in Garden Ridge illustrates how closely mining and suburban growth now intersect. The San Antonio Express-News reported that the limestone quarry, operated by Lehigh Hanson Materials South, covers about 700 acres and runs as a 24 hour operation. It employs roughly 90 people and accounted for 7.5 percent of Garden Ridge’s total taxable property value in the city’s 2020 audit.

These operations supply crushed limestone, gravel, and other aggregate that become base layers for roads and concrete for bridges and buildings. They are also components in asphalt for highway projects. The Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas notes that aggregate use has increased significantly with population growth and urbanization. According to its overview of aggregate and industrial minerals, new quarries are being developed to meet rising demand.

Highway programs depend on this supply. The Bureau, citing U.S. Geological Survey data, reports that about 30 percent of aggregate is used for highway construction. The remainder goes into other forms of infrastructure and building. For the I-35 corridor, that means nearby quarries help keep material costs lower for road widening, frontage road extensions, and interchange construction that accompany regional growth.

TCEQ’s 2025 enforcement report describes how the agency now surveys the state annually to identify all aggregate production operations and verify registration status. It also carries out on-site inspections. In fiscal 2025, the agency recorded 999 active registrations, conducted 1,311 investigations, and issued 137 notices of violation and 29 notices of enforcement to these facilities, according to the Annual Enforcement Report.

For small cities such as Garden Ridge, the supply chain is also a local labor market. Heavy-equipment operators, mechanics, scale house workers, and truck drivers employed at sites like Servtex provide wages that circulate through local businesses. At the same time, much of the material leaves the immediate area, serving construction markets across Central and East Texas.

Blasting, Noise, and Dust in Quarry Row

The same logistics that make Quarry Row efficient also bring mining impacts close to homes. The Express-News reported that blasts at the Servtex quarry occur about three times a week. These are monitored by a city-appointed Quarry Commission that reviews blast data every two months.

On one reported day, workers used 13,000 pounds of explosives to break loose 20,000 tons of rock. This sent dust into the air as excavators loaded material into crushers.

Residents living near the Garden Ridge site have described feeling the blasts inside their homes. In 2021, Garden Ridge resident Johnell Holly told the San Antonio Express-News that the shaking prompted fears of other emergencies.

“It scares the mess out of you. You’re wondering, ‘What is this? Is it an earthquake? Is it a bomb? Did something crash?’”

Quarry operators use water trucks to spray internal roads and attempt to limit dust. However, the same investigation documented plumes rising after large blasts and dust settling beyond property lines under some conditions. The Servtex plant manager noted that over-watering can turn haul roads into mud while under-watering fails to control dust. This underscores how weather and operating choices affect air quality around the site.

Noise is another persistent complaint. Residents told the Express-News that they can hear conveyor belts, crushers, and other machinery at all hours. This is particularly noticeable at night when ambient noise is lower. For homes that back directly up to the quarry boundary, the combination of blast vibrations and continuous industrial sound has become a defining feature of daily life.

At the AC Tejas quarry, also within Quarry Row, impacts have included water and sediment leaving the site. The Express-News reported that in June 2020, a sediment pond overflow sent an estimated 500,000 gallons of water and clay sediment under a railroad trestle and onto neighboring pecan orchards. It covered about 15 acres to a depth of roughly a foot and a half.

According to the same account, a TCEQ investigation found that the quarry had allowed too much sediment to accumulate. It was also pumping more water into the pond than it could safely handle, and was cited for a “lack of maintenance.” The quarry later paid for lab tests that characterized the waste as “pretty benign,” and TCEQ listed the violation as resolved. However, the cleanup took months and cost the affected landowner thousands of dollars.

Minimal State Rules, Uneven Local Oversight

The framework that governs these sites in Texas is relatively narrow. A 2019 report from Texas Standard noted that aggregate production operations must register with TCEQ. However, registration is largely a self-certifying process that does not involve a detailed public application, mandatory public hearing, or independent review before a site opens.

According to that reporting, operators model dust and other emissions themselves to obtain air permits. State law does not require companies to notify nearby residents when a new quarry is proposed. The report also highlighted that Texas has no statewide minimum setback distance between quarries and homes. It does not mandate land reclamation plans once mining ends, leaving those issues to market decisions or local rules.

TCEQ’s 2025 enforcement report describes a system focused on identifying active aggregate production operations, verifying registration, and conducting inspections under statutory requirements. The agency reports on the number and regional distribution of registered sites and the training of APO investigators. It also details enforcement outcomes such as notices of violation and administrative orders, but it does not set zoning or land-use restrictions on where quarries may locate.

Local governments have filled some of these gaps. In Garden Ridge, the city council created a Quarry Commission in 2000 to monitor the Servtex plant. As the Express-News detailed, the seven-member commission reviews blast data, listens to resident complaints read aloud at public meetings, and serves as an intermediary between the operator and nearby homeowners.

Outside of incorporated cities, however, residents often have fewer tools. The Express-News and Texas Standard both described neighbors in unincorporated parts of the Hill Country who rely on TCEQ complaint hotlines or private legal action. They take these steps when they experience dust, noise, or runoff from nearby quarries, since county governments in Texas have limited authority over land use.

In the AC Tejas overflow case, for example, the affected landowner contacted TCEQ, which investigated and required the company to document how it would prevent future discharges. The agency’s enforcement records show that APO inspections can lead to notices of violation and monetary penalties. These actions, however, occur after problems arise rather than through up-front siting standards.

Economic Payoff Versus Environmental Cost

For communities along I-35, quarries function simultaneously as employers, taxpayers, and sources of external costs. The Servtex plant is Garden Ridge’s largest property taxpayer and a significant job provider, according to city audit figures summarized by the Express-News. Similar operations elsewhere in the corridor supply steady work for equipment operators, truck drivers, and maintenance staff.

These jobs support local businesses, and property tax revenue from industrial sites can help small cities fund services without raising residential tax rates as much. Garden Ridge’s mayor told the Express-News that revenue from the quarry contributes to keeping city taxes relatively low. Local officials described having an “outstanding working relationship” with the operator even as they field resident complaints.

The environmental ledger is harder to quantify. The Bureau of Economic Geology emphasizes that aggregate is a mostly nonrenewable resource. It notes that reserves of natural aggregates are being depleted rapidly in some parts of Texas, particularly near urban centers, as construction demand rises. It also notes that expanding residential, industrial, and commercial areas, along with stricter environmental rules, are limiting where new quarries can be sited.

In the Hill Country, quarry impacts include dust from blasting and crushing and runoff from disturbed land and sediment ponds. Traffic from heavy trucks that accelerate wear on local roads not designed for repeated 80,000 pound loads is another issue. The Express-News reported that spills of sediment-laden water have coated cropland. Residents describe muddy creeks and changes to nearby waterways in areas with dense quarry development.

Noise and vibration are ongoing quality-of-life issues. Garden Ridge residents told reporters that they experience repeated shaking from blasts, rattling windows and producing sensations similar to small earthquakes. Others described the constant hum of crushers and conveyors, especially overnight, as a source of stress that contrasts with expectations of a quiet bedroom community.

These effects do not fall evenly. The economic benefits of quarries tend to accrue to companies, workers, and city budgets, while many of the nuisance costs are borne by nearby homeowners and landowners. That imbalance is at the center of disputes over whether current rules adequately protect health, property, and water resources in the Hill Country.

Reserves Shrink While Growth Continues

Texas is adding residents and industrial facilities faster than many other states, and its construction sector reflects that pace. The Bureau of Economic Geology reports that rapid urbanization has significantly increased the use of construction materials. It states that new aggregate sources are being explored as existing reserves near cities are depleted or restricted by environmental and land-use constraints.

The same Bureau overview notes that while alternative materials such as recycled aggregates and industry byproducts are being used, they still represent only a small share of total demand. In areas where suitable local aggregate is not available or is restricted, builders may need to import material from farther away. They may also rely on artificial aggregates, which can raise project costs because of longer transportation distances.

Along I-35, that tension is visible in the juxtaposition of dense quarry clusters and fast-growing suburbs. The Express-News reported that Comal County’s population grew from about 20,000 residents in the 1960s to more than 161,000 by 2021. During this time, multiple new quarries opened around long-established farms and neighborhoods as demand for limestone increased.

Pecan grower Mark Friesenhahn, whose land was affected by the AC Tejas sediment spill, told the Express-News that population growth and quarry expansion have converged in his area in a way that concentrates risk on neighbors.

“We’ve massively populated this area, and these (quarries) are moving in right on top of this growth because that’s where their resource is.”

From the operator’s perspective, location decisions reflect both geology and market access. Servtex plant manager Pat Pieton told the Express-News that the Garden Ridge quarry began operating in 1936, decades before the city incorporated. He emphasized the site’s role as a major taxpayer and job supplier for the community.

“This place started 85 years ago in ’36. ’72 is when Garden Ridge came. But you know what? ‘There’s a damn quarry next to us.’ We’re also the largest taxpayer for Garden Ridge. The largest job supplier, if they want it.”

These parallel perspectives capture the core land-use question for the corridor. As nearby limestone reserves are worked and development advances, residents and operators are negotiating how close extraction can sit to homes and farms. They are also debating what level of disruption is acceptable in exchange for jobs, tax revenue, and ready access to construction materials.

Looking Ahead

Debate over Texas quarry regulation now centers less on whether the material is needed and more on how impacts are shared. In the AC Tejas case, Friesenhahn told the Express-News that a more comprehensive framework for planning, design, construction, and operation could have prevented the sediment spill that flooded his orchard. This highlights concerns that current rules react to problems rather than preventing them.

Policy ideas raised in local reporting and resident advocacy include clearer statewide setbacks between quarries and homes and stronger storm-water controls. More detailed air permitting requirements and reclamation plans that restore mined land to future use are also discussed. Others focus on process reforms, such as advance notice to nearby property owners and more structured opportunities for public input before new operations open.

At the same time, TCEQ’s enforcement data show that the agency is investing in APO-specific training and carrying out hundreds of inspections each year, with violations leading to notices and penalties in some cases. Unless state law changes to address siting and post-closure standards more directly, many of the practical limits on quarry development will continue to be set by a mix of local ordinances, market pressures, and case-by-case enforcement.

For the I-35 corridor between Austin and San Antonio, that means the line of quarries visible from the highway will likely remain both an economic asset and a point of contention. How Texas chooses to manage registration, oversight, and land-use planning for operations like Quarry Row will shape not only construction costs, but also the air, water, and landscape experienced by residents living beside the pits that keep the region building.