20111013 Ver 2_Public Notice Comments_20130306 (54)

Strickland, Bev
From: Karoly, Cyndi
Sent: Thursday, March 07, 2013 2:20 PM
To: Strickland, Bev
Subject: FW: Proposed Beaufort County Quarry
From: Terry Savage [mailto:tsavaaeCd)cbcnc.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 06, 2013 3:06 PM
To: Karoly, Cyndi
Subject: Proposed Beaufort County Quarry
Please consider the reasons below and reject the permit for the Proposed Martin -
Marietta Beaufort County quarry.
The quarry will pump 9 million gallons of water per day from the aquifer in order
to de -water the mine and wash rocks. Our aquifers have gotten dangerously low
and the removal of an additional 9 million gallons of water on a permanent daily
basis will be detrimental. Many local residents around the Aurora area have
already lost use of their shallow wells because of the de- watering operations of
PCS Phosphate and the resulting affects on the Castle Hayne and Beaufort
Aquifers.
The quarry will dispose of its 9 million gallons of ground water every day by
dumping it into feeder streams that lead into the headwaters of Blounts Creek and
ultimately into the Pamlico River. This will cause a major ecological change in this
area due to both the alteration of pH levels and the influx of fresh water. Upper
Blounts Creek is naturally occurring and designated swamp water, which means a
slow water flow for the majority of the time and creates a pH that is naturally very
acidic. This acidity (low pH) allows for a unique ecosystem, where certain fish,
plants and insects can survive and thrive. Changes to pH and flow, would occur if
the mine were permitted to operate, would result in great harm to all life stages of
aquatic life as it exist today. Such a change in the water chemistry would result in
the present aquatic life dying off and not surviving in those waters. State law does
not allow discharges that change the species composition of a stream from its
natural state. State laws are in place in order to preserve the natural balance of an
ecosystem. A change like this is not allowable under NC water quality regulations.
To make matters worse, the Pamlico River is already challenged by the infusion of

fresh water from the phosphate mine a short distance downstream from Blounts
Creek.
Please use your best judgment and consider all the environmental effects this
quarry will have in addition to the effects on the Beaufort County citizens as a
whole, before deciding on the outcome of Martin - Marietta's proposal.
N