New reporting shows that state regulators haven't kept up with the pace of expansion of quarries in the Hill Country.
Area residents who have been left to deal with the impacts are now demanding stricter enforcement of environmental and health standards.
Texas had 639 active stone quarries registered in 2013 and, like the state's population, that number increased dramatically over the next seven years to a total of 1,056 in 2020.
Without much oversight, the proliferation of quarries has resulted in polluted waterways, noise, and hazardous dust that can cause severe damage to the respiratory system after prolonged exposure. Area residents are struggling to coexist.
What rules does The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality have in place to prevent or mitigate the harmful effects of quarries?
What's to blame for the lack of regulatory enforcement and what more can be done to increase accountability?
How does the state balance economic development with public health and safety?
Guest: Brian Chasnoff, investigative reporter for the San Antonio Express-News
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*This interview was recorded on Tuesday, October 12.