Local residents in Laramie County, Wyoming, are objecting to plans to develop a new quarry, according to a report out this week on www.kgwn.tv The Colorado-based Asphalt Specialties Company has acquired 550 acres in Granite Canon and developed plans to build a new quarry there.
According to the kgwn report: Local landowners have formed an environmentalist committee to express their concerns about their health and safety. They say that the aggregates company will be using at least 6,000 gallons of water per day. They are also expressing concerns about dynamite blasts near their homes, the Lone Tree Creek, and the current road conditions.
"We bought that land because it was so beautiful and covered in game," Granite Canon landowner Fritz Ermart said. "The most immediate, lasting and dramatic damage to the area that shows up right away, is going to be the destruction of the physical landscape and environment associated with the wild life. And that can't be fixed."
A spokesperson for Asphalt Specialties said: "Asphalt Specialties Co., Inc. (ASCI) has been very transparent in the permitting process of Lone Tree Creek Quarry, Limited Mining Operation (LMO). All permitting applications and plans are public record. ASCI has been transparent in all aspects of their planning and under state statutes, an LMO is limited to a maximum disturbance of 15 acres. Permitting applications are submitted through State, Federal and County governing and authorizing agencies that provide and ensure compliance. Great care is also taken to protect the environment and the animals that live on our lands. During the entire quarrying process, ASCI and the governing agencies make sure that we protect the health and safety of our employees and neighbours."
