20111013 Ver 2_Public Comments_20130412 (7)

Les and Elaine Sheridan
560 Harbour View Drive
Chocowinity, NC, 27817
RE: Vanceboro Quarry Project
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NC Division of Water Quality
943 Washington Square Mall
Washington, NC 27889
We are residents of Chocowinity, NC, with waterfront property on Blounts Creek. We built our home
here in 2010, hiring local contractors, local trades people, and we continually invest in the greater
community of Beaufort County. We did this because we found a spot on Blounts Creek with all of its
unique and pristine characteristics ... foremost of which is the brackish coastal environment which
supports blue crabs, dolphins, flounder and the many aquatic fish and animals found in this brackish
environment.
We realize that our investment in the community is nowhere near the kind of investment proposed by
Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. for their Vanceboro Quarry Project. We realize that money and power
often drive political decisions.... and, while it should not be, the Vanceboro Quarry Project may well be a
political decision. HOWEVER, the state of North Carolina through its Division of Water Quality (DWQ) is
charged with a purpose stated in its own standards °15,4 NCACO2c.010 (b) Purpose. Consistent with the
duty to safeguard the public welfare, safety, health and to protect and beneficially help develop
groundwater resources of the state..." In this situation the charge to DWQ is twofold: first, the
protection of the unique and delicate brackish ecosystem which supports aquatic species prevalent in
Blounts Creek; and second, the protection of the Castle Haynes aquifer. To destroy or compromise
either of these is to the detriment of the public welfare, and to the groundwater resources of the state.
When Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. began the Vanceboro Quarry Project process some years ago, they
collected data about the comparative costs of various methods of discharging mining waste water. They
concluded that the least expensive solution was the best -that being the discharge of mining waste
water into Blounts Creek. However, they failed to conduct the kind of accurate data collection and deep
analysis regarding the impact of the discharge of 9 —12 million gallons per day of fresh mining waste
water into the brackish Blounts Creek ecosystem. The benefit of the doubt might allow that this "best
solution may have been uninformed oversight, that MMM's scientists lacked knowledge about the
unique brackish environment which is Blounts Creek. This possible oversight might be supported by
their comments about the advantages of this discharge in supporting fresh waterspecies. If this position
WAS uninformed oversight, adjustments should have been made upon CLEAR information about the
brakish nature of the creek. However, it appears that Martin Marietta Materials Inc. continues to ignore
the fact that the injection of such a large quantity of fresh water will probably destroy the saltwater
species living in our creek. Perhaps they knew but expected no reaction regarding the impacts on the

creek. When challenged, they presented impact data which has since been found faulty with input by
scientists who have no financial gain for their research. Martin Marietta has yet to demonstrate that the
discharge will NOT damage the delicate balance of the creek's ecosystem.
In addition to the issues surrounding the creek's ecosystem, they have not adequately addressed the
depletion of the Castle Haynes aquifer. The quantity of groundwater depleted will reach 109 -219 billion
gallons of water over the 50 years projected for the project. To assert that this will not have an impact
on the aquifer is irresponsible. They have already admitted that there could be a loss of water to
individual wells in the area — as stated for the Coastal Review Online, February 23, 2012, "Company
officials say they will work with area residents to provide new pumps or deeper wells to offset loss of
water to individual wells." They are already preparing to "fix" a problem that need not occur at all.
In 2007 — 2008, North Carolina enacted a policy of drought management. In the words of DWQ, "North
Carolinians are encouraged to continue water efficiency habits adopted during 2007 — 2008 to help with
any future deficits the state may face." The amount of aquifer depletion proposed by Martin Marietta is
18,750 times the DWQ estimate of 640 gallons per day use by typical families, families which will
continue to use water while the aquifer is being depleted. Will these families be asked to reduce their
consumption in the name of drought management while Martin Marietta continues to deplete
resources astronomically? The Drought Management Council for NC meets on April 18 to address the
"effectiveness of decreased groundwater withdrawals in the area(s)" including Beaufort and Craven
counties. It would be most appropriate for this council to specifically address the Vanceboro Quarry
Project and its long term impact before any consideration is given to the current proposal.
We have attended hearings where attendees, neighbors and friends have stated that they are not
opposed to the development of the Vanceboro Quarry Project —just that the nature of the discharge
needs to be addressed. On the face of it, this seems an admirable stance. HOWEVER, if Martin
Marietta's future performance mirrors the past with distortions of data and illogical conclusions,
perhaps the mine project permit should be flatly denied. Martin Marietta needs to return to its well
funded drawing boards and come up with alternatives which do not kill the delicate balance of a unique
coastal wetland environment. These alternatives have been suggested but dismissed. Perhaps further
research by Martin Marietta will demonstrate that the Creek can be protected, the aquifer maintained,
and that they can mine their product successfully.
Their current proposal, as developed, should be denied.
Les and Elaine Sheridan
560 Harbour View Drive
Chocowinity, NC 27817'