Where to comment on Cement Company Expansion

Posted on by suburbandingo
For Nazareth & Upper Nazareth residents who want to comment on the proposed expansion of the Lehigh Cement Company, mail your comments to:
 
Pennsylvania DEP
Pottsville District Mining Office
5 West Laurel Blvd
Pottsville, PA 17901
 
Reference: the Lehigh Cement Co., LLC 68.7 acre expansion at the Nazareth 2 Quarry
Newspaper articles about the proposed expansion:

2 thoughts on “Where to comment on Cement Company Expansion”

  1. Please considering commenting to request a public hearing and request PA DEP perform monitoring on existing mining activities to determine if the mine is in compliance with Title 25 Chapter 77.564(h) – (h) Blasting shall be conducted to prevent injury to persons, damage to public or private property outside the permit area, adverse impacts on an underground mine, and to protect, to the maximum extent possible, the hydrologic balance. (https://www.pacode.com/secure/data/025/chapter77/s77.564.html). Comments are due by December 28, 2018.

    Current blasts are already felt in nearby houses and compliance should be assured prior to any expansion being allowed. The PA DEP should use its authority to require seismographic record of blasts and their impact to the nearby houses.

    The rest of that portion of the regulation –
    (h) Blasting shall be conducted to prevent injury to persons, damage to public or private property outside the permit area, adverse impacts on an underground mine, and to protect, to the maximum extent possible, the hydrologic balance.

    (i) In blasting operations, except as otherwise authorized in this section, the maximum peak particle velocity may not exceed 2.0 inches per second at the location of a dwelling, public building, school, church or commercial or institutional building or other structure designated by the Department. The maximum peak particle velocity shall be the largest of three measurements. The Department may reduce the maximum peak particle velocity allowed, if it determines that a lower standard is required because of density of population or land use, age or type of structure, geology or hydrology of the area, frequency of blasts or other factors.

    (j) The maximum peak particle velocity limitation of subsection (i) does not apply at a structure owned by the permittee.

    (k) When seismographs are not used to monitor peak particle velocity, the maximum weight of explosives to be detonated within any 8 millisecond or greater period may be determined by the formula W = (d/50)2 where W equals the maximum weight of explosives, in pounds, that can be detonated in any 8 millisecond period or greater, and equals the distance, in feet, from the blast to the nearest dwelling, school, church, commercial or institutional building. The development of a modified scale-distance factor may be authorized by the Department on receipt of a written request by the operator, supported by seismographic records of blasting at the minesite. If the peak particle velocity will exceed .5 inch per second with the adjusted scale-distance, § 77.562(d) shall be complied with prior to blasting at the adjusted levels.

    (l) When a seismograph is required to monitor the peak particle velocity, a seismographic record shall be obtained for each blast.

    (m) The use of a formula to determine maximum weight of explosives per delay for blasting operations at a particular site may be approved by the Department if the peak particle velocity of 2 inches per second required in this section would not be exceeded.

    (n) The Department may require a seismographic record of blasts and may specify the location at which the measurements are taken.

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