Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/619545
AGGREGATES MANAGER / January 2016 9 PENNSYLVANIA South Middleton Township supervisors are giving a group of residents until its next meeting to bring in expert witnesses or legal representa- tion to prove there could be issues if Union Quarries moves its crusher to a new location on its property, PennLive.com reports. The quarry contends that the new location would be further away from residents, quieter, and would allow for increased production. Residents claim it could cause environmental problems, noise pollution, and a de- crease in property values. The operator has already agreed to several neighbor requests, including restricting hours of operation. Supervisor Bryan Gembusia noted that the only factual evidence provided to the supervisors was from the operator including a recent blast report that showed it was within the limit for blasting. SOUTH CAROLINA Vulcan Materials Co. won approval, on a 7-1 vote, to move forward with changes in its plan for a quarry in Western Lexington County. The State reports that Vulcan agreed to expand the landscape buffer around the mine to reduce noise and dust and to create a new entry on U.S. 1 for trucks hauling aggregates. Both changes "are the best thing for our op- eration and for the community," Vulcan Vice President Elliott Botzis told the newspaper. TENNESSEE The Nashville Metro Council unanimously approved a pair of bills from Old Hickory-area councilman Larry Hagar that were filed in an attempt to block a limestone quarry from operating near the Old Hickory dam. According to The Tennessean, the bills create new buffer zones to prevent mineral extraction activity and cement or asphalt plants from locating immediately near residential homes in Nashville. Metro Department of Law Director Jon Cooper noted that the quarry company, Industrial Land Developers, had already received a building permit for an office building to be built at the quarry and said that it was his opinion that its rights in the property are vested. If a court takes the same view, the bill on mineral extraction would not apply to quarry development. Hagar said the company must still obtain a mining permit from the Tennessee Department of Environment. TEXAS The Brady City Council voted to authorize two sales tax rebate incen- tives for a proposed U.S. Cement plant that would be built in McCull- och County. The San Angelo Standard-Times reports that the com- pany hopes to build a plant and quarry on nearly 500 acres north of Brady. The city sales tax rebate economic development incentive would not exceed $297,000 over nine years, or up to $33,000 per year. The Brady Economic Development Corp. incentive would be a one-time payment of $250,000, plus $34,000 up to nine years, for a total package of $556,000 over a decade. Council authorized city staff members to pursue negotiations with the operator before it goes back to city council for final approval. Qualifications include that the operator generate a plant and quarry that improves the property value of its location by $175 million and provides 200 permanent and full-time jobs. There would also have to be a 100-foot buffer zone away from anything it doesn't own, and the plant will have to purchase all of its natural gas from the city. With Topcon by your side, staying connected just got a whole lot easier for your entire crew. Go the distance with a range of geopositioning solutions including fully robotic total station systems, proven integrated GNSS receivers and intelligent software. WITH YOU ALL THE WAY GEOPOSITIONING SOLUTIONS topconpositioning.com Untitled-3 1 10/19/15 9:17 AM