Rutland Herald

Danby will review OMYA reports

October 19, 2000
By SANDI SWITZER Herald Correspondent

DANBY - The town has set aside $5,400 to finance a review of economic, transportation and en-vironmental impact reports associated with OMYA Inc.'s proposed quarry operation.

The Danby Select Board recently agreed to allocate funds for that purpose to better understand the quarry's potential impacts on the town.

OMYA has hired a panel of experts to research the Jobe Phillips Quarry proposal, and expects final reports to be submitted by late fall.

Those studies will be turned over to the town, and local officials will hire their own experts to conduct a full review.

The money used to finance the review will come from state Act 200 funds distributed to towns several years ago for land use planning.

Mark Blucher of the Rutland Regional Planning Commission urged the board to avoid a duplicate effort in hiring their own experts for a similar economic analysis.

Instead, he said, the money would be better spent on reviewing OMYA's reports.

"My suggestion is to pass a motion to use the mon-ey for reviewing the studies without taking a position."

Danby officials agreed and approved setting aside the Act 200 funds for the review.

They also postponed a townwide vote on the OMYA proposal, tentatively scheduled for November, until after the reports were reviewed.

Blucher told officials that additional money was available to assist with expanding and revising Dan-by's town plan, as well as updating data and maps.

He provided officials with a rough draft of a grant application seeking $15,000.

Approximately $100,000 has been allocated by the state to Rutland County for just such purposes, he said.

Danby's town plan has expired, and local officials are in the process of re-adopting the existing document with minor changes.

The Select Board has scheduled a public hearing for Oct. 18 to review the proposed document.

Once it is approved, the planning commission expects to revise and expand the town plan in greater detail.

OMYA's plan to mine the Jobe Phillips Quarry and haul marble ore to its processing plant in Florence has triggered intense interest beyond Danby's borders. Residents and officials in Tinmouth, Middletown Springs and Wallingford have voiced concern over the heavy truck traffic that could rumble through their towns on Routes 140 and 7.