Correction plan coming before Montgomery Township Committee.
By: Paul Sisolak
MONTGOMERY The 3M Co. has agreed to pay the state Department of Environmental Protection $99,120 for storm-water runoff violations at its quarry near Belle Mead on Route 601, the DEP announced Wednesday.
The company was issued 11 notices of violation by the DEP between August 2000 and October 2002 for illegal storm-water discharges from the rock quarry.
Over the past three years, the township Health Department and the Sourland Planning Council had reported to the DEP instances of polluted water in the vicinity of Back, Roaring and Cruser brooks. The pollution was caused by crushed-rock dust from the quarry’s mineral fines pile picked up by storm water streaming down Sourland Mountain.
As part of the settlement agreement between 3M and the DEP, the company is now required to take corrective measures to prevent further violations, including the installation of rock-dust filters like silt fencing and hay bales around the quarry. Stabilization of the mineral fines pile and heightened water monitoring were also required as part of the settlement agreement.
DEP spokeswoman Amy Cradic said 3M must submit a quarterly progress report to the DEP, the first of which will be due in July.
3M’s runoff problems have been a point of focus in the past few months as a result of a company proposal for a major storm-water management project. In February, March and April, the company met with planning boards from both Montgomery and Hillsborough townships to seek approval for placing a number of storm-water detention basins around the quarry which straddles both municipalities in an attempt to prevent water pollution.
According to 3M plant manager Leigh Otterlei, the company has already received the necessary approvals from Hillsborough to start construction on the project, but is still awaiting the green light from Montgomery. Until then, the company will have no choice but to face additional DEP notices of violation any time a major rainstorm occurs, she said.
"The longer we wait for future construction, the more violations we get," said Ms. Otterlei. "We know we just can’t control heavy rain."
The Montgomery Planning Board is expected to vote on 3M’s project at its June 23 meeting.
Members of both the Sourland Planning Council and Montgomery Environmental Commission have recently pressed 3M for further storm-water testing to determine how the pollution affects stream macroinvertebrate life.
Testing of that sort, while not only costly, would be deemed unnecessary, according to Ms. Otterlei. Factors such as abundant rainfall or even acid rain would compromise such testing, she said.
"It doesn’t make sense that we would measure that," she said. "Macroinvertebrate testing can be affected beyond our control."
Ms. Otterlei said the settlement agreement between 3M and the DEP came without bad blood.
"It’s a big impact, but we’ve been waiting for it," she said. "We’ve been proactively working with them."

