Deputy Speaker of the House Kevin Ryan (D-Montville, Bozrah, Franklin, Lebanon) led the House of Representatives in passing a bill (HB 5526) that establishes a permitting program for any commercial project that involves quarrying.
Under the bill, introduced by Ryan, the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection would have final say on any application based on any potential adverse affects on the quantity or quality of any surface water or groundwater.
The bill is a result of an application filed in Bozrah which targeted 100 acres in the village center for a potential quarry with a goal of 6.6 million cubic yards removed over 20-30 years.
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Concerns were raised over the proposed mine's proximity to Town Hall, town firehouse, Fields Memorial Elementary school and several homes.
Specifically, the act of rock-crushing would create high levels of noise and dust and potentially negatively affect businesses, the environment and neighbors. Other concerns include impacts on property values, safety and long term effects on the property mined.
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“Since there were no municipal regulations regarding a quarry in Bozrah, this state regulation will now allow the permitting process to move forward uniformly,” said Rep Ryan. “Allowing the Department of Environmental Protection to decide the merits of an application is best.”
Three hundred seventy Bozrah residents signed a petition against the idea of a quarry in their village center for ecological, historic, recreational and scenic reasons.
The amended bill moves onto the State Senate for consideration.
Ryan is a Montville resident.
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