The Sheridan County Board of County Commissioners on May 20 approved a temporary extension for Taylor Investments LLC's Unified Taylor Quarry permit Q-15003, extending the permit from its June 2, 2025, expiration until the county acts on a new permit application but in no case longer than six months after the Board's consideration of the request.

Mark Reid, Sheridan County planner, told the board the quarry operator is preparing a new permit application but, because of advertising deadlines, the earliest the application can be considered by the Planning and Zoning Commission is July; that review would be followed by a Board hearing projected for July 22, 2025. Reid recommended approving a short extension that would allow operations to continue while the standard permitting process proceeds and remain subject to the original permit's conditions.

Reid said staff had notified the applicant of the upcoming expiration date and that the county has not received any notices from the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality indicating noncompliance. "As far as I know, we've not received any notification that they're not," Reid said when asked about DEQ compliance.

Commissioner Arzey asked why the applicant had not filed sooner given the permit's 10-year duration; the question was raised during discussion but no additional reasons were provided on the record. The extension approved by the board begins June 2, 2025, and may not extend beyond six months after the Board considers the new permit application.

Action: A motion to approve the temporary permit extension, as recommended by staff, carried by voice vote. The motion directs that the extension be subject to the applicable conditions that accompanied permit Q-15003.

The county's next steps are for the applicant to submit the new permit application, for the Planning and Zoning Commission to set a hearing in July, and for the Board to consider the new permit at a subsequent meeting, anticipated July 22, 2025.