Hondo breathes easier

In a victory for the Hondo Empowerment Committee, the Hondo City Council voted last night to buy out and retire Pather Hollow grain silos. A long time nuisance to the community, the silos were quietly reopened last summer with no review or update of their air pollution permit and obvious rust, electrical and structural hazards. The silos are located directly adjacent to homes, and chaff from grain loading creates a public nuisance and health hazard to neighbors.

Five days after HEC met with city officials to complain of odors, rats, dust, noise, and the public safety hazard from the silos, a young worker was buried under a mountain of corn and seriously injured when one of the silos collapsed. Just weeks prior, a City inspection had deemed the facility safe to reopen.

Go HEC!