Rutland Herald
April 26, 2000

OMYA overflow is inspected today

FLORENCE - State investigators today plan to inspect a recent spill of calcium carbonate from the OMYA plant that flowed into nearby Smith Pond.

The spill was reported to the state by OMYA officials via e-mail, according to Brian Kooiker, chief of the discharge permit section of the state's Wastewater Management Division.

He said it was unclear how much calcium carbonate leaked into the pond, but he added that the marble-based substance wasn't toxic.

While the white substance might discolor the pond, Kooiker said, it would not harm aquatic or plant life.

OMYA is permitted by the state to discharge excess calcium carbonate from the plant's settling ponds, he said. The recent discharge, however, was an accidental flooding of the settling ponds from recent rainstorms.

The plant could face penalties for allowing the spill, since the release would exceed the discharges permitted by the state, he said.

But Kooiker declined to say what, if any, enforcement action might be taken since investigators hadn't visited the pond yet.

OMYA representative Neal Jordan said Tuesday the company's discharge permit allowed releases into Otter Creek, via an unnamed stream and Smith Pond.

OMYA's plant in Florence takes marble ore from its various quarries and processes it into calcium carbonate, which is used as extenders and fillers in many products.