Slusser Brothers, a subsidiary of Harrisburg-based Pennsy Supply, Inc., filed an appeal in Luzerne County Court on August 16 seeking to expand its Small Mountain Quarry in Dorrance Township and preserve 150 quarry jobs and many more indirect jobs in the region.

"Our company spends $11 million per year on goods and services purchased from local vendors for Small Mountain Quarry," states General Manager Barry Duffy.

Slusser Brothers has operated the quarry since 1988, and is seeking to expand its mining operation by 128 acres in a 189-acre site that is zoned as a "Heavy Industrial Zoning District." The expansion would allow the quarry to function for another 50 years.

The present quarry, which is north of the proposed expansion across Small Mountain Road, is scheduled to exhaust its materials in the next few years. The company mines sandstone, which is used as road materials by the state, local municipalities and road contractors.

On July 19, the Dorrance Township Zoning Hearing Board denied the company's expansion proposal, even though the quarry operation is a permitted use in the "Heavy Industrial Zoning District." Under state law, the company had 30 days to appeal the board's decision to Luzerne County Court.

In its appeal, Slusser Brothers noted that company officials attended several public meetings on the planned expansion. The company presented expert testimony from a geologist, a hydro-geologist, a sound engineer and a blasting expert – all of whom testified that the proposed quarry operation would meet strict state and federal standards.

"We have taken great steps to ensure that this expansion project will have minimal impact on the surrounding environment," said Duffy. "Slusser Brothers has solid compliance records with the state Department of Environmental Protection and the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration. We operate in one of the most regulated industries, and we want to keep our good record."

Specifically, Slusser Brothers has proposed the following actions:

Installing a 30-foot barrier around the equipment to mitigate sound. A sound engineering study showed that, once the barrier is built, the noise levels in the quarry will be below township requirements and actually will be less than the noise produced by nearby Interstate 81.

Maintaining dust control measures. At all times during operations, employees will spray water onto dusty surfaces and truck tires to ensure that it passes the regular inspections by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

Maintaining wetlands on the bordering hillside. DEP will monitor the condition of the wetlands to ensure that there is no adverse impact.

Mine without impact to ground water levels. The quarry expansion plan calls for the company to mine above ground water levels for 40 years. This will ensure the quarry does not impact the ground water, which is regularly inspected by DEP. After that, any ground water that enters the quarry will be channeled into settling ponds to prevent sediment from entering Balliet Run, a nearby stream.

"We want to stress that this is an existing quarry, which is being expanded in a rural area that is zoned for this use," Duffy said. "There would be greater environmental impact to create a new quarry in an area that is not already mined."

Since this is an expansion of an existing quarry operation, the company expects no increase in production or truck traffic. Slusser Brothers is a major supplier of asphalt, concrete and road materials for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and contractors in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Small Mountain Quarry supplies an "E" rated aggregate, which is a skid resistance rating required by PennDOT on major traffic routes. If the quarry is forced to close, the prices for road materials in the area would likely increase, driving up the cost of public projects.

DEP requires quarry operations to submit reclamation plans to reveal what the property will resemble when it is closed. The expansion proposal calls for nearly 100 level acres for development in an industrial district. The company has detailed plans for reclamation on both the north and south sides of Small Mountain Road in compliance with DEP requirements.

Duffy, who serves on a township created Citizens Advisory Board to address concerns about the quarry, said the company would continue to address the concerns of neighbors in the area. He noted that DEP has continually investigated the concerns raised by residents and has found the company to be in compliance with regulations.

"We want to work with the township and its residents to ensure that this quarry operates smoothly and within the local, state and federal guidelines," Duffy said. "The livelihoods of 150 families are depending on this expansion project, and we hope that we can go forward with this important project for our region's economy."