ADEM reps hear complaints about rock quarry

Halltown residents concerned about a proposed rock quarry that could be moving within miles of their community didn’t receive any answers to their questions at a public hearing on Tuesday evening.

Close to 100 Halltown residents met with officials from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management at a scheduled public hearing, but they were informed before the hearing began that the three-person panel would not be answering any questions.

The panel would only note the questions and comments for consideration as to whether or not Limestone Redbay, Inc. from Columbus, Miss., would be allowed to open a rock quarry off of Franklin 25 on Cooney Road in the Halltown community.

Schuyler Espy, who served as the hearing officer for ADEM, said the purpose of the meeting was to help assure all relevant factors were discussed and addressed before a final decision on the issuance of permits was made.

At previous meetings between Halltown residents, concerns were expressed about the dust the limestone quarry would create, the effect the quarry would have on nearby Bear Creek and subsequently their drinking water, the noise generated by the large trucks, the decreased property values, and the potential for damage to their homes and land.

However, ADEM officials made it clear the only factors they would consider when issuing the permits would be air and water quality. All other factors would have to be handled by county or city officials.

Sally Simpson, an environmental scientist in the construction materials division of ADEM said a review of the application for permits had not turned up any red flags so far.

“The department has made a preliminary determination that compliance by Limestone Redbay, Inc. with the conditions of the proposed air and water permits will not result in violations of applicable air and water quality standards designed to protect human health and the environment,” Simpson said.

But several residents who requested to speak disputed the fact that the limestone rock quarry wouldn’t cause any harmful effects for themselves or for their families.

Ken and Gina Williams, whose property is right next to the proposed quarry site, wanted to know what ADEM planned to do if the water in Bear Creek became contaminated.

“Bear Creek has always had poor levels of oxygen and when sediment is pumped in from the quarry, it will further deplete the oxygen levels,” Ken Williams said.

The Williams and other in the audience understand Thomas “Bubba” Comer, president of Limestone Redbay, Inc., says he will comply with ADEM regulations, but several said that saying and doing are two completely different things.

“There are some discrepancies with the application Comer turned into ADEM,” Jody Humphries said. “He said he wouldn’t be hiring contractors and he’s hiring a blasting company. There’s also been some construction and he’s been moving land on the property already, which he isn’t supposed to do.”

Resident Cheryl Humphries added that Comer seems to have a disregard for laws and regulations.

“Comer has already sent his big trucks down [Franklin 25] and violated the weight limit on that bridge,” Cheryl Humphries said. “If he doesn’t obey Alabama DOT laws, how many of ADEM’s laws will he violate?”

Comer, who doesn’t own any other quarries, said these accusations were not true.

“I have never told my trucks to go over a low-weight bridge,” Comer said. “They’ve gone down [Franklin] 23 like they’re supposed to, and if some of them did, I had no knowledge of it.

“We plan to create jobs for 12 to 15 people at the site and 15 to 18 jobs for transporting materials. We’ll operate from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. and it won’t be seven days a week. We want to try to fit in with the community the best we can.”

A couple of residents relayed research concerning two endangered mussel species believed to reside in Bear Creek that could be harmed if the conditions of Bear Creek are altered due to the rock quarry. The research was detailed and specific, but some residents pointed out that, while the technical research was important to ADEM, there was more to it than just the technical details.

“This is unfair for working people who have no knowledge of scientific matters,” Gerlda Brown said. “I also think it’s unfair that ADEM is the only agency considering this because there will be more problems than just the air and water quality.”

Colbert County resident Harley Kent, who has attended meetings about the Halltwon rock quarry before, said he knew first-hand what a rock quarry could do. Kent lives nine-tenths of a mile from the Vulcan Materials quarry on U.S. 72 in Tuscumbia.

“It’ll rattle your windows and shake your house, but that’s a drop in the bucket compared to what it’ll actually do to your house,” Kent said. “It’ll tear it up.

“As far as the air quality, they’ll water their driveway, but the tires on the trucks will pick up that limestone dust and drag it to the highway and it’ll dry and go in the air.”

Residents gave ADEM officials several things to consider and more questions and comments can still be submitted to ADEM up until 5 p.m. on May 31. After that time, ADEM will review the information and make a decision.

“We’re not under any specific time frame,” ADEM spokesman Scott Hughes said. “We will take as much time as necessary to complete a thorough review.”