MONTGOMERY: Planning Board OKs quarry pollution solution

By Jennifer Kohlhepp, Staff Writer
MONTGOMERY — Constructural Dynamics Inc. representatives appeared before the Planning Board Monday night to try to quell public concerns about the revitalization of the Gibraltar Rock quarry.
For the past several years the quarry has been operating under a New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection NJDEP Administrative Consent Order (ACO), which has leveled fines against the quarry owners when pollution runoff in streams has exceeded permitted standards. The last fine paid exceeded $62,000.
The quarry owners asked NJDEP for relief from fines and a "Force Majeure," which was granted in October 2013. The quarry was given 15 months to come up with a solution.
The proposed solution is a closed loop system that washes crushed stone and then carries the polluted water to a large "process" basin, where a chemical flocculent polyacrylamide would help coagulate and settle the remaining sediment and carry clean water back up the hill to be used again.
The coagulated sediment would be dredged up and then mixed with quarry stone for use as road covering.
The "process" water basin would be an 11-acre, 16-foot deep pond situated on a steep hill at the end of their property, overlooking Somerset County open space (wetlands).
"The problem," Hillsborough resident Peg Van Patten said, "is that polyacrylamide has been closely linked to cancer by the National Institute for Cancer, the World Health Organization and others. Check it out. It’s all online. Even the dust is potentially toxic. Studies by these agencies indicate that even stream biota gives evidence of mutations and deformities with exposure."
She continued, "At risk? Possibly the local residents who depend completely on the limited groundwater resources in the Sourland and the potential that wells might be contaminated by the chemicals being proposed."
North Carolina State University professor Dr. Rich McLaughlin, who is a soil scientist and expert in construction site water management, appeared before the board on behalf of the applicant to discuss the safety of the flocculent.
He said the same flocculent is used to treat drinking water and in food processing and that the chemicals used are food grade.
"There are no alternatives to this," Dr. McLaughlin said. "It really comes down to this is a safe chemical process that is widely used. It is nontoxic to humans and the environment."
He also said the site would be regulated to ensure the level of flocculent remains below food grade. The government allows .05 percent of flocculent and the quarry expects to maintain a level of .01 percent, according to Dr. McLaughlin.
The flocculent can’t and won’t leech, according to Dr. McLaughlin, who added it would be added at a rate of 1 part per million.
"It’s not toxic at all no matter what brand you use," he said.
When Mayor Rich Smith asked Dr. McLaughlin if he would drink the water treated with the flocculent, Mr. McLaughlin said, "I wouldn’t drink it, not because of the polyacrylamide but because of whatever else is in it."
Edward Potenta of Potenta Environmental Consultants in Flemington appeared before the board to discuss potential noise as a result of the revitalization. He said his firm evaluated the existing conditions at the quarry and estimated the new sources of noise and then compared those noise levels to local and state standards, finding that "the noise at the site would remain within state and local standards."
Mr. Potenta said the revitalization would create three new noise sources. He said the extension of the rail line would result in a train coupling noise. He also said there would be trucks loading out and conveyor belt noise created by the trucks loading out.
Constructural Dynamics Inc. representatives also told the board that having increased rail capacity should eventually cut down the number of trucks traveling to and from the quarry each day. Between 50 and 200 trucks travel to and from the site each day. While motorists on Route 601 will have to stop for more train crossings, there will be less truck traffic on Route 601.
Prior to voting on the construction design and site plan for revitalizing the quarry, Mayor Smith said his biggest concern is protecting well water.
"It sounds fairly safe to me," he said. "I just want to be sure that what we’re putting in our water is 100 percent safe."
The Planning Board unanimously voted to approve the application pending DEP approval.