2006-06-14_REVISION - M1978314 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Mined Land Reclamation Board June 12, 2006 Page 10 are substantially amplified. With a ]azge volume of gravel trucks, it would be extremely dangerous to pull a horse trailer, move cattle, drive a tractor or let a child ride a horse on these roads. Finally, there are two, single-lane substandazd bridges along the route to be utilized by the gravel operation. On information and belief, it appears the gravel pit operator has refused to pay to replace the bridges and, instead, wants taxpayers to subsidize his gravel operations by doing so. Effectively, the gravel pit operator is attempting to use six miles of county road as his mine's "haul road." Standazd road engineering demonstrates that the roads will need to be paved to withstand the increased and heavy truck traffic. ~ Transportation and related safety concerns clearly dictate that changes be made to the roads, bridges, highway entrances and ways of egress before a 112 Permit is issued to King Mountain, not after. d. Cattle Movement Among other things, the Ranch Owners are in the cattle business. The Ranches must move their cattle frequently, and often the only mute for such movement from the ranches is CR 3 -which, of cowse, means that the cattle must be moved past King Mountain's gravel pit. Declaration of Wayne Shoemaker, ¶3, attached hereto as Exhibit F (the "Shoemaker Affidavit"). Cun•ently, that passage is not an issue because King Mountain's mining is minimal. Id. Further, when Hewes operated the gravel pit, the operation was generating, at most, 8,000 to 10,000 tons on an annual basis. Id. at ¶4. To the extent the Permit Conversion Application is granted and King Mountain generates the anticipated traffic and disruption, the Ranch Owners will need to either change the time of day at which they move cattle, or shut down truck traffic. Id. at ¶5. When cattle movement is distwbed, there is potential for weight loss, injury, disease and, therefore, decreased production. Id. at ¶6. As a result, expansion of the King Mountain gravel operation could have a severe economic impact on the Ranch Owners' respective cattle ranching businesses. Id. at ¶7. On a separate but related issue, dust affects the growth of the grass used for cattle grazing.9 An expansion of the gravel pit to the size proposed by King Mountain will inevitably increase dust (from increased truck traffic), which will have yet another economic impact on the Ranch Owners' ranching businesses. e. Aesthetic and Recreational Concerns The geographic area that will be affected by an expanded gravel operation is unique, pristine, peaceful and quiet. For the following reasons, expansion of the gravel operation will be s To date, King Mountain has not maintained dust control at the gravel pit. Specifically, it has not maintained a sutiicient number of water trucks to reduce the dust on CR 3. Shoema,Eer Affidavit at ¶8. Nor, as discussed in subsection f. above, does King Mountain have the water rights necessary to do so. ~~~oa ~ 2~asaoooi ~ ssse~s.~