Two weeks of news, one episode to catch you up. Michael, Daniel, and Ann break down everything that's been happening in Leon County, across the surrounding region, and at the state level — from a brand new planning committee that may or may not have any real power, to a solar and BESS facility that just broke ground on Highway 3 with no county fire marshal in place to inspect it.

IN THIS EPISODE:

LEON COUNTY

The 391 Planning Commission is now official. Commissioners passed the resolution on January 29th and published the public application on March 9th — but only one citizen seat is available. We should be celebrating this, but the county has already made clear the committee has no binding authority and commissioners aren't required to act on its recommendations. Is this meaningful input or just optics?

The Pecan Solar and BESS facility near Hilltop on Highway 3 has broken ground after sitting dormant since 2018. Now that construction has started, two questions need answers fast: Are they complying with fire codes with no county fire marshal to inspect them? And are CATL or Gotion components anywhere in their supply chain?

SURROUNDING COUNTIES

Robertson County residents are discovering what Leon County already knows — reinvestment zones for solar farms can be approved quietly, with little public notice. The response from county leadership has been dismissive. We are actively helping Robertson County organizers get up to speed.

Van Zandt County's unanimous moratorium is one month strong and still holding. Citizen activist Nancy White, Fire Marshal Kevin Palmer, and a commissioners court that actually listened made it happen. The trigger was finding CATL battery products — on the Texas Prohibited Technology List — in planned projects. This is proof that engaged leadership and community organizing can make a real difference.

Grimes County found out on March 10th that Geronimo Power is planning a massive data center near Iola and a BESS facility in Singleton — because Geronimo called the mayor. There is a community meeting on March 19th at 6pm at the Iola Community Center. If you know anyone in Grimes County, spread the word.

STATE LEVEL

At a recent Leon County Commissioner's Court session, a commissioner openly admitted the commissioners are not fire experts — and then a burn ban was lifted during extreme drought conditions with no formal process and no consultation with the U.S. Forest Service. That admission is exactly the argument for hiring a county fire marshal. BESS fires, solar installation fires, and data center failures are not hypothetical. Other Texas counties are dealing with them right now.

CATL and Gotion are subject to Chinese cybersecurity and national intelligence laws, giving the Chinese government legal authority over their products. Texas has placed both on the Prohibited Technologies List, yet no law requires developers to disclose what battery cells are going into these projects. At least three Texas BESS projects are implicated. Counties have tools to act right now — local ordinances, 391 committees, and development agreements can all require disclosure.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

If you are in Leon County, apply for the 391 Planning Commission or encourage someone you trust to apply. If you are in Grimes County, get to the March 19th meeting in Iola. Follow Van Zandt County's lead — community organizing plus elected officials who listen equals results. And share this episode. These stories are happening faster than most people realize, and awareness is the first line of defense.

Know Leon County is an independent podcast covering local government, land use, energy infrastructure, and community issues in Leon County, Texas and the surrounding region.

As rural Texas experiences rapid growth, many residents are asking important questions about fire safety, inspections, and large industrial development.

In this episode, we sit down with Kevin Palmer, Fire Marshal of Van Zandt County, to walk through how fire prevention actually works at the county level.

We discuss:

• What a fire marshal does day-to-day

• Where their authority comes from in Texas

• How fire codes are adopted and enforced

• What happens in counties without a fire marshal

• Whether these positions “pay for themselves”

• Inspection fees and funding questions

• Fire risks associated with large industrial sites

• Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and how those fires are handled

• What small business owners can expect during inspections

This is a public education conversation designed to help rural communities better understand how fire safety systems function before emergencies happen.

Michael and Daniel sit down with water expert Dr. Charles Porter to talk about how water rights work in Texas and what landowners should understand before major development reaches rural areas.

The discussion covers ownership of groundwater, differences between water and mineral rights, shared aquifers, and how large industrial users can affect surrounding communities.

This episode is part of the Know Leon County Podcast.