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Saturday, April 29, 2006

Environment - More on: Gravel pits in the news in Martinsville and Carmel [Updated]

Updating this ILB entry from Thursday on gravel pit issues in Martinsville and Carmel, the Indianapolis Star reports on the IDEM public hearing last week in Moorseville. Some quotes:

A group of Morgan County neighbors is fed up with gravel pits near residential homes. So when a company requested an air-quality permit for another gravel pit on Centenary Road, nearly 100 residents came together to fight it.

"Is there any limit to these gravel pits?" Dawn Horock asked at a public hearing Wednesday at Mooresville Public Library. "Madison Township is being smothered with them. They are eyesores. None of us moved here to look at them. Enough is enough."

Horock and her neighbors spoke at the Indiana Department of Environmental Management hearing on an air-quality permit requested by U.S. Aggregates for its proposed Waverly Plant 2 at 7201 E. Centenary.

Representatives from U.S. Aggregates didn't attend the meeting and couldn't be reached for comment Thursday.

Doug Wagner, an IDEM representative, said his department has no timetable for making a ruling. IDEM can deny a permit only if the company's proposal doesn't meet air-quality standards. Any other environmental issues would require permits with the Department of Natural Resources. U.S. Aggregates also must obtain a zoning variance from the county's Board of Zoning Appeals. U.S. Aggregates hasn't submitted its proposal to Morgan County yet.

County officials, who say Morgan County has higher standards on gravel pit operations than most counties, contend they can do little to prevent new mines. The county only has authority to make companies return the land to a useable, attractive condition when they finish mining and prohibit operation on a few holidays during the year.

"We really can't prevent them from operating," said County Commissioner Jeff Quyle. "State law doesn't allow us. I wish we had the power to regulate it, so we could limit the number that are in operation."

Seven gravel pits operate within a two-mile radius of where U.S. Aggregates wants to add the new gravel pit. Another three pits in that area sit vacant.

Carmel. On May 9th, the Indiana Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments in the case of City of Carmel v. Martin Marietta Materials. Here is the case synopsis:
Synopsis: The City of Carmel enacted an ordinance to regulate various aspects of mining activity within the city limits. Martin Marietta is the only company engaged in such activities within the city limits. Martin Marietta filed a Complaint for Declaratory Judgment and Injunctive Relief regarding the ordinance. The trial court granted a preliminary injunction prohibiting the City of Carmel from enforcing the ordinance until a final determination on Martin Marietta's request for declaratory relief is made. The City of Carmel now appeals the trial court's order. (The Scheduled Panel Members are: Judges Sharpnack, Najam and Robb.)
[Updated 5/1/06] Here is the Moorsesville-Decatur Times' report on the IDEM public hearing last week on the proposed sand and gravel pit in Waverly.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on April 29, 2006 06:56 AM
Posted to Environment