Agreement requires buffer zones, reduced operating hours, and advance notice before blasting activities
By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
Agreement requires buffer zones, reduced operating hours, and advance notice before blasting activities
BELLE MINA — A Limestone County judge has approved a settlement between residents and the operator of a limestone quarry near Belle Mina, ending a legal dispute over concerns about noise, dust, blasting, traffic, and environmental impacts.
Limestone County Circuit Judge Matthew R. Huggins signed a consent order last week formalizing an agreement negotiated between area residents and Grayson Carter & Son, Inc., the company that owns and operates the quarry.
Under the settlement, the company must make several changes designed to reduce the quarry’s impact on surrounding homes and churches. The agreement requires setback and buffer zones, tree plantings along the quarry boundary, and restrictions on operating hours. Mining activities will no longer be allowed at night or on Sundays.
The company must also pave roads to reduce dust, relocate the quarry entrance farther from nearby properties, install turn lanes, and provide advance notice to residents by text message or email before blasting operations occur.
The lawsuit, filed about 18 months ago, alleged that the quarry created excessive noise, dust, traffic disruptions, and vibrations from explosives used to loosen limestone. Residents also raised concerns about potential impacts on groundwater and their quality of life.
Barry Brock, senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, which represented residents, said the agreement addresses long-term concerns in the community.
“This is the best outcome for our clients and mitigates very serious long-term impacts on the community,” Brock said.
Resident Nina Perez, one of the plaintiffs, welcomed the settlement but said families should not have had to fight so hard for relief.
“While there is a lot to be grateful for in this settlement, it’s still outrageous that families had to go through a legal battle just to get action and accountability,” Perez said.