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Residents press East Rockhill supervisors to pursue DEP appeals and monitor Rock Hill Quarry
Summary
Residents urged the East Rockhill Board of Supervisors on June 25, 2019 to pursue DEP appeals and keep quarry activity under active review; board members said some appeals are under legal review and that consultant reports will be considered.
On June 25, 2019 residents of East Rockhill urged the Board of Supervisors to press state regulators and pursue legal appeals tied to the Rock Hill Quarry and related DEP permits.
At the start of the public-comment period several neighbors described concerns about quarry activity, water removal and communications from regulators. Mary Schulberger said she remains concerned about a culvert and ditch near 2181 Hill Road and requested a site meeting with Township officials. "I continue to be concerned about the culvert ditch in the vicinity of 2181 Hill Road," Schulberger told the board; she will contact Township Manager Marianne Morano to schedule the visit with Chair Gary Volovnik, Public Works Director Jeff Scholl and Sergeant Maloney.
Other residents pressed the board for clarity about appeals and for more-aggressive review of DEP permits. Todd Hippauff asked for a summary of a one-sentence order from Judge Mellon received that day; the order, he was told, said the judge would maintain jurisdiction, which could mean the judge rather than the Zoning Hearing Board might hold further proceedings. Jeannine Gravel said she could not find a township appeal of the asphalt-plant approval online; the meeting record notes the township has appealed air-quality aspects for the crusher and an NPDES matter as recommended by legal counsel.
Several speakers urged the township to invest in outside consultants. "The township was advised by legal counsel that there was no benefit to an asphalt plant DEP appeal," the meeting minutes note, but residents including Ryan Gottshall and Jim Pascale recommended the township retain consultants and make the quarry a standing agenda item so updates are provided at every meeting. Gottshall said he did not see the township listed on DEP air-quality appeal postings and asked for the asphalt permit to be appealed; he also asked that Rock Hill Quarry be on every future agenda.
Chair Gary Volovnik summarized known procedural points: he said Senator Santarsiero had questioned past tonnage removal records, that the township would be notified before any quarry reopening, and that while emptying the quarry pit of all water would require major permitting, daily water removal is currently permitted. Volovnik also said the REPA geologist’s report is under review and will be taken into consideration.
The board did not take immediate new formal action on the record at this meeting, but residents asked that the township follow up with legal counsel, provide additional information from the June 14 DEP information meeting and consider inviting the township’s environmental attorney to a future meeting.
