SCHROEPPEL -- Update, 11:30pm:
Schroeppel neighbors filled the town hall Thursday night to oppose a zoning change for a proposed sand and gravel mine. They brought signs and plenty of questions for the board and the the company proposing the mine.
Matt Biondolillo says putting a mine in a sensitive water district could contaminate the drinking water for the entire town.
"Without having that top buffer layer of soil and vegetation our aquifer is not protected and could be vulnerable to contamination."
Allen Montclair, who owns a Central Square construction company, is proposing the mine. He says the DEC approved a permit for the mine and he brought his own geologist to the meeting to address residents concerns that the mine would not pose a risk.
"We've had our permits, we've been through the reviews on it, we've addressed all the issues, " said Montclair. "This is just another project to hopefully bring some jobs to the area."
The capacity crowd was skeptical. Neighbors and officials from the Village of Mexico said the board was correct to turn down the mining project when it was proposed in 2006, and should do so again.
"It doesn't make any sense," said Mike Lattimore. "You can't tell me four years ago it was a problem and today it's not."
The Schroeppel town board will decide on the proposed zoning change within the next two months. The geologist for the mine project acknowledged they may need to re-apply for DEC approval as well.
Update, 12:00pm:
Michael Lattimore is helping organize the opposition to the gravel mining plant. He belongs to a group called Citizens for Family Farms, which successfully fought a proposed slaughterhouse in the Town of Schroeppel last year. Lattimore expects up to 150 people to show up for tonight's public hearing at the Scroeppel Town Hall at 6:30pm. In attendance will be Matt Bionbolillo an environmental engineer whose home is adjacent to the proposed site. Bionbolillo says he doubts the DEC permitting process will actually protect aquifers from contamination.
Opponents have setup a website to sign a petition to oppose the project. You can find it here.
Original Coverage:
A potentially emotional public hearing is scheduled for tonight over a proposed gravel mine in the town of Schroeppel. Neighbors of the proposed site on County Route 12 say the mining operation endangers the municipal water supply, nearby streams and lakes, will cause air pollution, destroy the natural beauty and depreciate property values.
Neighbors hope to convince the Schroeppel town board to turn down a request to rezone the land to prevent a commercial mining operation. The 30 acres in question is owned by Central Square construction company A.J. Montclair Inc. Alan Montclair tells CNYcentral's Jim Kenyon, "This is nothing new. There are mechanisms in place to protect the environment." Montclair points out that this proposal has been in the works for three years and already has the approval of numerous agencies including the Oswego County office of Economic Development. He says the operation would have to be permitted by the DEC, which would also insure environmental protections.
When asked about the mounting opposition to the proposal, Montclair replied, "this is the reason why taxes are out of control. It's because we don't expand our economic potential." Montclair says the mining operation will create 10 jobs, and spinoff another 100 jobs in the construction industry, which would use the gravel from the mining operation.
