GlobalWafers, Grayson County officials testify in front of Texas House committee on Dorchester cement kiln

DORCHESTER, Texas (KXII) - Monday evening, those for and against SB 1758 testified in front of the Texas House Environmental Committee.

Last month, the state senate voted in favor of the bill, halting Black Mountain Cement from building a cement kiln in Dorchester, TX.

Grayson County Judge Bruce Dawsey, Dorchester Mayor David Smith, and Grayson County Precinct 1 Commissioner Josh Marr, all testified along with GlobalWafers President Mark England, in favor of SB 1758. They want to see the bill pass primarily for national security reasons.

GlobalWafers produces silicon wafers that help military machinery and weapons operate. Mayor Smith says a kiln so close to his city would threaten wafer production

“Our contingent is the blasting and mining would cause harm to our national defense and GlobalWafers,” Smith.

Judge Dawsey says seismic or vibrational disturbances caused by the kiln’s operation on shared bedrock is another big concern.

“If they go down and start blasting or drilling or disturbing that bedrock, it’ll create vibrations which will then affect GlobalWafers,” said Dawsey.

Black Mountain’s Principal Jake Bender says the bill’s passing would force Texas to rely on foreign cement and would waste their $50 million investment on reaching air quality permit standards. Bender said not only would the bill force Texas to continue dependence on foreign cement imports, but it would place BM in a lose-lose situation.

“It directly interferes with the free market and picks winners and losers. in this case, black mountain cement would be the loser,” said Bender.

GlobalWafers cited the $1.2 billion in federal CHIPS Act funding and up to $4 billion, a soon $7.5 billion total investment post the CEO’s surprise announcement last Wednesday.

“If the state can’t protect the silicon industry from one cement kiln, then what kind of signal does that send to the rest of the industry,” said Dawsey.

Grayson County Commissioner Josh Marr urges those “for” the bill and opposed to mining in their backyard, to reach out to their representatives in the next few days before the house committee takes a vote. News 12 will continue to follow this developing story.