HomeMy WebLinkAboutFW_ _External_ _Mining Permit 92-10_ Deny the permit!2Johnson, Robert E
From: Sams, Dan
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2020 5:40 PM
To: NCMiningProgram
Subject: FW: [External] [Mining Permit 92-10] Deny the permit!
From: Elizabeth Slight [mailto:info@sg.actionnetwork.org]
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2020 5:37 PM
To: Sams, Dan <dan.sams@ncdenr.gov>
Subject: [External] [Mining Permit 92-10] Deny the permit!
INBMA
The Department of Einviiroinimeintall Qualkty (DEQ) must deny the mi6ling
permit application due to siginfficant einviroinimeintall Ihairm caused to
Uimstead State Park, irecreatGoinall users, and Ihomeowneirs aIloing Old
Reedy Greek Road under subsections 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
l have been a iresident of Welke County for almost 32 years. l Iparticilpated
In both the June 23, 2020 and JWy7, 2020 virtuall Ipubllic Iheair9lings
iregairdlling the Ipeirmit. Duir9ling the June 23, 2020 session over 570
pairticipated. Over '75 spealkeirs were aIklowed to speak duir9ling the allotted 4
hour session and they voiced their concern about the proposed inew quarry
for the Odd FeHows Tract, 105 acres adjacent to WiHkaim 1B. Umstead State
Park, one of the busiest and most Ipopullar state pairks lin North
Cairofina.The spealkeirs Included experts irainglling from einviroinimeintall
scientists, wH6kfe experts, civil and einviroinimeintall eingilineeirs, educators,
attorneys, advocacy giroups, IpoIIGtGcians and concerned Tarr 4nglle iresidents. l
wHH sight some of their expertise and comments. (It is highly suspect that
the WebEx irecoird�lings for both virtual) sessions were inot imade aval10able to
aEl Ipairticilpants. At (least they shoUld have been avaHable on your website.)
L.et's evalluate each subsection of the Ipeirmit llin vi6lafioin.
Subsection 2 states: That the operation wiH have undUly adverse effects
on Ipotalble groundwater supplies, Mldfife, or fresh water, estuairline, or
rnairrline fisheiries.
a. There is stroing evidence for the (low flow rates of Crabtree Creek to
decrease and theireby affect the Ipeirmits from the North Cary Water
RecVairnatioin Flaint. That is (because the two 400 ft. deep iroclk pits on both
sides of the Greek with irniinlirnall (buffers wound "suck" the water out of the
Greek for the 1.5 mHes abing Crabtree just down stream of the Cary (plaint.
Many on the caEl said that Crabtree Greek wound die if the quarry is
aElowed to (proceed.
�b. Accor61ng to Dr. Ron Sutheidand, Chief Scientist, fflldllainds Network,
the southern end of Urnstead represents the (best chance to make sure the
state Ipairlk reirnallins ecobgicaHy connected to other inatuirall areas,
pairticUlaidy Jordan IL.alke, which has over 40,000 acres of (public
foirest/gairnellainds. Joirdain L.alke's forests are allso connected (vlia seve14l
�large rivers) to the (broader network of habitat across North Cair6lllina, and it
is essent4l to try to keep Urnstead Illiiniked together with that network. The
proposed quarry wound close off the M16lfe corridor between Jordan IL.alke
and Urnstead Park that keeps the M6� lfe llinside the Park tlhirrlviing, creating
habitat fragmentation, iresullting llin the death of many species lin the Park.
Deforestation wound allso inegativelly impact the habitats of species.
Subsection 3 states: That the operation wiH vi6late standards of air quallllty,
surface water quallllty, or groundwater quafity that have Ibeen Iprornullgated
�by the Department.
a. In addition to the current and future (low flow rates described above
under 2.a., there is evidence that Wake Stone has Ibeen aElowing run off
from their current operations directly llinto Urnstead Park and Crabtree
Greek. Flease view Iplhotos of the Odd FeElows Tract as taken Iby an
anonymous Ipairlk patron and then turned llinto this video, The Ghost of
OddfeElows, Iby docuirneintairr4n and ftmakeir, Chairles Morris:
https:Hyoutu.be/EENixnfBLBw
N
You can aIlso see Iplhotos of the run off from tlhellir quarry operations 6recfly
�linto Uirnstead State Park and Crabtree Cireelk llin:
The #stopRDUQuairiry Explallineir Video!
�b. Further evidence of violation of allir quallkty, surface water quallkty, and
groundwater quallkty can Ibe found llin haides Morris' documentary, 400
Feet Down.
Subsection 4 states: That the operation Wl constitute a direct and
substainfiall Iplhysicall Ihazaird to Ipublic IheaIltlh and safety or to a ineighboding
dwellfiing house, scho6l, church, lhospitall, coirnmeirciall or Bindustri4l Ibulil61ng,
�public road or other Ipublic Ipropeirty, excVu61ng matters irellafiing to use of a
�public road.
a. The (proposed quarry lis to reside FEET from the Dunin Fairni�ly residence.
Poteint4l home structu14l dairnage, and ireall IpulbBlic IheaIltlh concerns irellatuing
to allr and water quallkty are anticipated. haides Morris' documentary
above shows the Ipoteintiall Impact of the cbse (proximity of a quarry.
Subsection 5 states: That the operation WV�l have a siginllficainfly adverse
effect on the Ipuirposes of a IpubBlicVy owined Ipairk, forest or recreation area.
a. Thomas W. Morse, Supeir9linteindeint of State Parks, North Cair6lkina,
states the nine (basic Ipuirpose of state Ipairks is TO SERVE PEORL.E. That's
�it!
�b. The inew (pit would Ibe WtNlin feet of the ON Reedy Cireelk Road
Gireenway. This is Ipeirlhaps nine of the imost IpopWair Gireenways llin the
region. It is Ipairt of the East Coast Gireenway T14l�l System, Mouintallins to
the Sea T14IL The inoise, dust, and allr quallkty would Ibe a seirious issue
limpacting (people's IheaIltlh.
c. Welke Stone anticipates 500 lhuge dump trucks Ipeir day. This would
gireafly llimpact our Gireenways and would NOT Ibe a safe or Ipleasaint
experience for the PEORL.E. fflll the PEOPL-E 113E SERVED Wth a quarry
adjacent to Uirnstead State Park? NO!
Adverse and unimitigable llimpacts would occur to potable groundwater
supplies; WN�Ikfe; Crabtree Cireelk; water and allir quallkty standards; and
61rect Ihazaird to Ipulbllic IheaIltlh, safety and Ipropeirty; our Iprlized VWlklkaim 13.
Uirnstead State Park and the connected OM Reedy Road Corridor.
d. There are 1.8 rnflllioin visitors to Uirnstead State Park. TMs inuirnbeir is up
35% over the Iprlior year. THESE are the PEOPL-E that YOU MUST
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SERVE! Do inot aMow a inew quarry to Ibe IbUillt adjacent to Urnstead State
Park. It wiM adveirselly affect the Ipuirpose of this IpubBlicVy owned Ipairk.
Subsection 6 states: That Iprevlious experience with siimillair operations
In6cates a substaint4l IpossibiVlity that the operation Mlkl iresullt llin substaint4l
deposits of se6ment llin stream Ibeds or Ilalkes, Ilaindsilides, or acid water
polllufioln.
a. Walke Stone has Ibeein allklowiing run off from their operations 61recfly llinto
Uirnstead State Park and Crabtree Creelk. Heavy se61ment from the quarry
can Ibe found llin Crabtree Cireelk. 1I refer you Ibaclk to Subsection 3, a. and Ib.
for Iplhotogiralplhlic evidence.
Fiinallkly, the Department of Einviiroinirneintall Quallkty (DEQ) imust deny the
rniinlling Ipeirmit appfication due to siginfficant einviroinirneintall Ihairm caused to
Uirnstead State Park, irecreatioinall users, and homeowners abing ON
Reedy Cireelk Road under subsections 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
MMEM
Efizabeth SIIkglht
405 IL.ochside Drive
Cary, NC 27518
libbyslightCaD_gmail.com
libbyslightCcD_qmail.com
405 IL.ochside Drive
Cary, North Cairofina 27518
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