Courtesy of the Edwards Aquifer Authority
In a letter to the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority, which is reviewing the project, the Texas Cave Management Association (TCMA) and the Texas Speleological Survey (TSS) said tunneling in the sensitive north of downtown could destroy habitats endangered wildlife, the daily reports.
Although the exact route of the Boring Co.'s tunnel has yet to be determined, Alamo RMA Chairman Michael Lynd Jr. has stated that the project would likely run alongside U.S. Highway 281.
In correspondence with the Alamo RMA, the groups said 11 cave entrances on either side of the highway make up a vast network of underground springs that feed into the Edwards Aquifer and provide a home to two endangered species of spiders, according to the Express-News. Tunneling, the groups caution, could destroy the spiders' natural habitat.
Additionally, the daily reports, the organizations expressed concern that boring through the Austin Chalk could disrupt underground water flows in the area.
The TCMA and TSS aren't alone in raising concerns about the Boring Co.'s project. Evelynn Mitchell, a professor of environmental science at St. Mary's University, this month told the Current that the project could pollute the city's water supply and stop spring water from feeding into the underground waterways altogether.
Stay on top of San Antonio news and views. Sign up for our Weekly Headlines Newsletter.
