Independent environmental testing has definitively confirmed that the Silo Mills community is safe for residential and school occupancy. Here are the facts and the data.
The property operated as a legally permitted Texas Railroad Commission (RRC) facility (Permit No. LF-0295, issued Aug 2011) in accordance with regulatory protocol and formally closed with RRC approval on June 20, 2017. The facility only accepted cuttings from water-based oil and gas drilling fluids and cuttings with no radioactive materials — confirmed by sworn testimony from multiple former workers. Furthermore, the land had been tested extensively during the landfarm closure process conducted prior to development of the residential community, with no evidence of what these unfounded claims were alleging. Two independent Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (2018 and 2020) were conducted before development began — both concluded there was no Recognized Environmental Condition of concern.
Extensive testing was conducted during the landfarm closure process conducted prior to development and well before recent allegations, with no evidence of any environmental problem. Nevertheless, the development team commissioned a rigorous independent environmental investigation to (once again) provide definitive science-based answers about the condition of the property.
This investigation went well beyond standard environmental protocols — 1,996 sample nodes evaluated, plus a 40-ft monitoring well drilled to the point of auger refusal in limestone bedrock (no groundwater detected in the well).
Independent scientific testing confirms: Silo Mills is safe for residential and school occupancy. Data from 1,996 sample nodes confirms the safety of the property for residential and school use.
900 radiation field measurements — 100% at natural background levels (0.05–0.2 mR/hr, less than household granite countertops). No evidence that radioactive materials were ever on site.
100% of samples below regulatory limits for the primary human health exposure pathways (skin contact, ingestion, and inhalation of soil particles), and pose no risk for migration to groundwater.
98 samples analyzed — all below regulatory limits for the primary human health exposure pathways (skin contact, ingestion, and inhalation of soil particles) and pose no risk for migration to groundwater.
Selenium, Barium, Lead, Mercury, Silver, Cadmium, Chromium, and Arsenic — 100% of samples below regulatory limits for all human health exposure pathways, within naturally occurring background levels, or pose no risk for migration to groundwater.
No groundwater detected in any soil borings; a historical 100-ft boring also yielded none. Drinking water supplied by Johnson County Special Utility District. Irrigation water from a dedicated well at 1,210 ft depth, cement-encased to 925 ft, with no connection to shallow groundwater.
The property was operated and closed in full compliance with RRC Permit LF-0295. The RRC granted formal closure in June 2017 after extensive sampling of the site soils. No regulatory cleanup action was required at the time of closure. UES independently reviewed the historical closure data and confirmed compliance with the RRC Permit and related regulations. Current site conditions remain consistent with those at the time of RRC-approved closure.
Independent environmental assessments, regulatory filings, and community updates.
Summary of the Phase I Environmental Site Assessment conducted prior to development, documenting site conditions and environmental history of the property.
Summary of the Phase I Environmental Site Assessment conducted prior to development, documenting site conditions and environmental history of the property.
Texas Railroad Commission historical records summary for the Silo Mills site, documenting the regulatory history of the property.
February 24, 2026 · UES
Comprehensive radiation field screening conducted. 900 measurements, 100% at natural background levels.
February 18, 2026
Official update to Silo Mills homeowners on environmental testing, findings, and next steps.
March 30, 2026
Official update to Silo Mills homeowners on environmental testing, findings, and next steps.
April 23, 2026
Official update to Silo Mills homeowners on environmental testing, findings, and next steps.
May 11, 2026
Official update to Silo Mills homeowners on environmental testing, findings, and next steps.
Map showing the locations of soil borings, monitoring wells, and radiation field measurements conducted on the property.
Summary of UES's Site Assessment with key findings, methodology, and conclusions.
Full 745-page UES Site Assessment Report. Submit your name and email and we'll follow up with a link to the full report.
No. The RRC Permit explicitly prohibited application of radioactive material at the site. The facility was permitted to accept only water-based oil and gas drilling fluids and cuttings, and the facility was in compliance with that requirement throughout its operational life. This is confirmed by the RRC permit and sworn testimony from former workers. The property was tested rigorously under Texas Railroad Commission standards and was in full compliance throughout its operation and when it was formally closed. Most recently, UES conducted 900 radiation field measurements — screening every 1 foot of depth in 48 soil borings and at 297 ground surface locations — 100% of which were at naturally occurring background levels (0.05–0.2 mR/hr, less than the radiation from household granite countertops).
The property was subject to environmental oversight and testing throughout its entire operational history as a permitted landfarm. The facility was tested rigorously under Texas Railroad Commission (RRC) standards and was in full regulatory compliance throughout its operation and when it was formally closed in June 2017. UES independently reviewed the historical closure data and confirmed compliance with the RRC Permit and related regulations. Two Phase I Environmental Site Assessments were conducted (2018 and 2020) before development began, neither of which identified any Recognized Environmental Condition of concern. The UES investigation in 2025–2026 then consisted of the most extensive testing yet, evaluating 1,996 sample nodes under an extensive set of field and laboratory analytical procedures and using strict chain-of-custody protocols for collected samples.
Environmental testing of this property spans its entire history since it was pasture land — under RRC oversight during facility operations and through approved closure, through two Phase I assessments before development, and most recently through UES's investigation. The UES assessment evaluated 1,996 sample nodes including: 48 soil borings (continuous sampling to 15 ft) + 15 hand auger borings; 900 radiation field measurements + 603 volatile organic vapor screenings; 137 RCRA 8 metals samples; 98 BTEX samples; 96 TPH & 96 chloride samples; and a monitoring well drilled to 40 ft (no groundwater detected; point of auger refusal at limestone bedrock).
Yes. Potable drinking water for Silo Mills is supplied by the Johnson County Special Utility District (JCSUD) — not from any on-site groundwater wells or surface water sources. No groundwater was detected on the property in any soil borings, and a historical 100-ft boring also did not yield groundwater, meaning there is no shallow aquifer on the property. Irrigation water comes from a dedicated well drilled to 1,210 ft depth and cement-encased to 925 ft, with no connection to shallow groundwater. There is no pathway by which site conditions could affect any drinking water supply.
Yes. The property has been tested continuously throughout its operational history and the UES Site Assessment Report (May 2026) explicitly concludes that the property is "suitable for residential land-use development and occupancy and the operation of an elementary school based on no identified adverse impacts to human health or the environment." 100% of the 1,996 sample nodes evaluated were below regulatory limits for the primary human health exposure pathways relevant to a school setting (skin contact, ingestion, and inhalation of soil particles).
The core data points that define the story.
Third-party Licensed Professional Geoscientists (UES, LLC) with NELAP-accredited laboratory analysis by Eurofins South Central.
The facility operated and closed in full compliance with Texas Railroad Commission Permit LF-0295 (closed June 2017).
Testing at ground surface and subsurface depths — 100% of soil samples below regulatory limits for the primary human health exposure pathways (skin contact, ingestion, and inhalation of soil particles).
The facility only accepted water-based oil and gas drilling fluids and cuttings — no radioactive materials. Proven by testing data and confirmed by sworn former-worker testimony.
Please reach out to the Silo Mills team with any questions.
Silo Mills Communications Team
info@silomillstx.com