Danby quarry plan said to threaten wetlands: OMYA proposes ground water study

by Anita Pomerance
Manchester Journal
August 17, 2001

Used with permission of the Manchester Journal

DANBY — Concerns about fragile wetlands near a proposed quarry site have led to a study of groundwater in the high mountain village of Danby Four Corners.

Eric Sorenson of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources has expressed concern that OMYA's proposed quarry in Danby would endanger the neighboring wetlands, especially the five acres of rich fens, which harbor rare and uncommon plants and animals. As a result, OMYA has asked an adjacent landowner for permission to install ground water monitoring wells for a year-long study.

In June, three members of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources and one consulting hydrogeologist retained by OMYA visited the 40 acres of wetlands east of the proposed Jobe Phillips calcium carbonate quarry. Sorensen wrote in a July 20 letter to OMYA engineer Don Burns and the eight neighboring landowners that the rich fens are of "high state significance" as natural communities because they shelter several rare or uncommon species.

He wrote, "... the primary concern of the Nongame and Natural Heritage Program is that the proposed quarry operation, and especially the quarry dewatering process, could alter the quantity or quality of ground water discharging into the fens and associated wetlands. Changes to water quantity or quality could threaten the rich fen communities and the rare and uncommon plant species associated with them."

He recommended that the hydrogeologists from the ANR and from OMYA plan studies before the quarry project starts. Sorenson wrote in his July 20 report that the fens were "open wetland communities dominated by sedges, low herbs, and a characteristic set of mosses."

The water that seeps or flows through them is somewhat alkaline, with a pH of 7.7, indicating that the water is enriched by minerals. This environment supports accumulation of peat to a depth of one meter. In the fens Sorenson found the globally threatened Schweinitz's sedge and the uncommon water sedge, confirming earlier reports, as well as a wood turtle, designated as an uncommon reptile. Sorenson said that "accurate and sufficient information" should be gathered before any work was begun on the quarry, rather than monitoring the effects of the project as it was developed.

He said in a phone interview that fens rely on calcium-rich water, which is alkaline or neutral. "That's what makes them unique," he said, "slightly acid [water] is the Vermont norm." He said that "If there were a change in quantity or quality, a lack of water-dissolved minerals, or less water, more peat would decompose ... fens are sensitive to changes."

Information is needed about the character of the bedrock, Sorenson said, such as water fractures in it, and how water ran between the area of the project and the rich fens. He added that ideally, these water concerns should be resolved before OMYA applied for an Act 250 permit.

OMYA is planning to to extract marble ore, or calcium carbonate, crush it on the 26-acre site, and truck it to its plant in Florence for grinding into powder, mixing with water, and shipping out as slurry by rail.

Reactions to the quarry project have been mixed in Danby, with some residents supporting the marble company with the hope of jobs, others opposing the project because of the potential for truck traffic, blasting, dust, effect on water and visual impact of the quarry.

Tinmouth residents voted unanimously at its 2000 Town Meeting to oppose the project.

In the fall of 2000, the four surrounding towns of Tinmouth, Middletown Springs, Wallingford and West Rutland formed a Municipal Transportation Compact to study proposed truck traffic. The consulting firm of Lamoureux and Dickinson they engaged concluded that the local roads could not support the proposed quantity or size of trucks.

The two southern areas of fen nearest the proposed quarry site are owned by Stephen and Nancy Burzon. The larger fen to the north is on land owned by Dennis Billick, Dorothy Marrinelli, Annette Fortune, and Franciszek and Jadwiga Guziewicz. A smaller fen to the north, possibly extending into OMYA's property, is owned by Lynn Jozwick.

In July a representative of OMYA wrote to one of the landowners asking permission to install approximately six PVC ground water monitoring wells that would be left until summer of 2002.