DORRANCE TOWNSHIP – Slusser Brothers, a subsidiary of Harrisburg-based Pennsy Supply, plans to appeal a recent decision by the Luzerne County Court, which denied the company’s appeal seeking to continue operations at the Small Mountain Quarry.

“We respectfully disagree with the court’s decision and plan to appeal to Commonwealth Court,” said General Manager Patrick Bartorillo.  “This project is too important to the 150 employees who depend on the quarry for their jobs and the Luzerne County economy, which received $14 million in goods and services from the quarry last year.”

In July 2007, the Dorrance Township Zoning Hearing Board denied Slusser Brothers’ application for a special exception.  The company appealed the board’s decision to Luzerne County Court, saying the company met the requirements for a special exception under the township’s zoning ordinance.

“We have met each and every provision of the township’s zoning ordinance.  Quarrying is a permitted use at this site,” Bartorillo said.  “We are confident that Commonwealth Court will agree with our legal position.”

Following the Zoning Hearing Board denial of the plan, Slusser Brothers and its engineers designed a new proposal that, among other actions, removed the need for a conveyor over Small Mountain Road.  The new proposal received conditional approval from the township Planning Commission.  The Board of Supervisors held several hearings on the new proposal.  The company plans to seek review by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).  Slusser Brothers plans to seek approval of the new proposal while its Commonwealth Court appeal is pending.

“In addition to protecting the jobs of our employees, we are equally committed to protecting the health, safety and welfare of the community,” Bartorillo said.  “That is why we are seeking DEP review of our plans in an effort to answer as many questions as possible.”

The quarry, which has operated for nearly 20 years on the north side of Small Mountain Road, is scheduled to exhaust its materials in the next few years.  The proposal calls for moving the operation to the south side of Small Mountain Road, which is an industrial zoned area that permits quarrying. There would be no increase in truck traffic because the company plans to continue the same rate of operation.  In addition, the company has proposed enclosing the crushing equipment to reduce noise and dust.  The proposal also protects the groundwater in the area and the nearby Balliet Run Stream.