Snow Camp residents in North Carolina are trying to convince the state to reject a permit for the construction of a gravel quarry in Alamance County.
In a report by thetimesnews.com, residents gathered in a meeting of around 200 people on Monday night outside the softball field at Sylvan Elementary School.
Laura Johnson, a Snow Camp resident, says “A lot of people feel like this is a done deal. It is not.”
According to county records, the state Department of Environmental Quality is reviewing the application from Alamance Aggregates to have a crushed-stone operation on 321 acres in the area of Quackenbush, Clark and Snow Camp roads.
The report says the county's Planning Department approved the application. The decision was made in accordance with the Heavy Industrial Development Ordinance, which divides the county’s industries into four categories based on the North American Industry Classification System. Each category has its own spacing requirement of 250–2,000 feet.
This ordinance does not require a public hearing or for the county commissioners to be informed, the report adds.
Gary Ulicny, Snow Camp resident, told the commissioners about the quarry in October. In response, the commissioners asked the state to hold a public hearing in Alamance County.
Opponents are reportedly asking their neighbours to be strategic if there is a hearing and focus on aspects of the project which could have adverse effects on ground water supply, wildlife or surface water.
Ulicny emphasises that the state would not be interested in the effects on property values as it is a county issue.
