The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently held a public meeting to review an economic development plan to expand the Small Mountain Quarry by 196 acres and preserve approximately 150 jobs.

At the two-hour meeting, which was held in an open-house forum, DEP officials manned tables to answer any questions that residents had about the quarry expansion project. The DEP officials at the meeting included mining compliance inspectors, a permit manager, a geologist and a blasting and explosives specialist.

The DEP officials had copies of the detailed plans for the project. In addition, Pennsy Supply, which owns the quarry in the industrial zoned area, provided an engineer, a groundwater consultant and a quarry manager to answer neighbors’ questions.

Several residents questioned DEP officials about how the quarry expansion would impact groundwater, wetlands and the nearby Balliet Run. Following several public hearings and comments by the Dorrance Township Supervisors, Pennsy had its engineers conduct extensive testing of the environmental impact of the project. The test showed that there would be no noticeable impact from the quarry excavation on off-site ground water and no impact on Balliet Run or on wetlands.

In response to the Supervisors and members of the community, Pennsy had its engineers revise the plan to ensure that no storm water will flow from the quarry into Balliet Run during the period of its operation. Balliet Run was reclassified as a highquality trout stream last year. Storm water will flow northward, as it presently does, though most of it would be infiltrated through the ground.

DEP also provided a stenographer to document any comments residents had about the project. Residents also were able to submit comments in writing to DEP as it considers the application by Pennsy for a permit to expand the quarry.