|
Grinnell Enterprises, a local sand and gravel company, is proposing to expand quarry operations into the scenic residential Lake Grinnell neighborhood area. “Concerned Citizens Against Quarry” is a community based group formed to stop the expansion and opposes any activities that threaten the lake community and environment.
“Concerned Citizens Against Quarry” consists of Sparta residents, taxpayers, homeowners and environmentalists who are concerned that the long-term mining operation will have significant repercussions on the neighborhood community, lake habitat, wildlife, and undeveloped shoreline. The environmental impacts include dust, increased traffic, noise, aesthetic degradation, surface and groundwater contamination, as well as wetlands encroachment. 
The proposed soil mining operation is not compatible with Sparta’s Master Plan and current land use regulations in the Lake Grinnell area. The 157-acre lot where the quarry is proposed is currently zoned for residential use. The soil miners’ operation would triple or quadruple the existing quarry, making it one of the largest soil mining operations in northwest New Jersey. The infrastructure necessary for the proposed mining operations includes a main facility, process buildings, as well as rail and conveyor belts. The proposed site borders Lake Grinnell and contains steep slopes. The current zoning does not permit soil mining.
John E. Ursin, Esq., the attorney for the Lake Grinnell Homeowner’s Association, states: “Soil mining operations need to be heavily regulated in order to protect the environment and to provide adequate buffers to residential areas. A Quarry should not be allowed to double or triple their size on residential land simply because it is convenient. It appears that the soil mining application is based primarily on need. If this were an appropriate rationale, every quarry would be allowed to buy surrounding residential land and expand as need dictates. A Quarry should never be allowed to encroach into planned residential buffers and certainly never be allowed to encroach onto land adjacent to a pristine, environmentally sensitive lake. The residents of Lake Grinnell and surrounding communities are entitled to the residential buffer provided by the current zoning as set forth in Sparta Township’s Master Plan. The only way for the soil miners’ application to succeed is if the Township placed the Quarry’s economic interests over its own zone plan, the quality of life of the surrounding residents, and every conceivable environmental concern”. If you would like more information or are interested in supporting CCAQ, please contact: John E. Ursin, Esq.
Daggett, Kraemer, Eliades, Kovach & Ursin
328 D Sparta Ave.Sparta, NJ 07871
(973) 729-2117; Fax #: (973) 729-0073 |
