Buffalo Crushed Stone's bid to mine 39 more acres galvanizes residents
By BARBARA O'BRIEN
News Southtowns Bureau
3/20/2005
Buffalo Crushed Stone wants to mine another 39 acres at its Cheektowaga quarry, extending the life of the limestone mine another 20 years.
The prospect of more blasting, dust and heavy truck traffic has neighbors worried, upset and galvanizing for a fight to oppose the 76-year-old quarry.
"The idea of impacting us for another 20 years just blows my mind," said John Stonefield of Bellevue, acting president of the Cheektowaga Citizens Coalition. "I think we're going to have a whole lot of people sicker around here from asthma."
The 219-acre quarry off Como Park Boulevard wants to mine the isthmus, a 39-acre parcel that separates its east basin from its west basin. The isthmus holds the quarry's rock crushing and asphalt plants. The rock crushing plants would be relocated to a previously mined area 150 feet deep in the east basin. The two asphalt or blacktop plants would be moved to about five acres on the east side of the property north of Indian Road.
The relocation of the asphalt plant would require a rezoning by the Town Board, town officials said. Buffalo Crushed Stone and Cheektowaga are still in court because of a lawsuit filed against the town in 1998 over the quarry's contention it can expand mining beyond the existing quarry without town zoning approval.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation sent a letter seeking input about the mining application to town Supervisor Dennis H. Gabryszak Oct. 1. But Gabryszak's office never sent that letter to the Building Inspection Department or the environmental quality review officer, the supervisor said.
"Really, he took away our right to do a complete (state environmental quality review) through the town," said Jane Wiercioch, president of the Depew/Cheektowaga Taxpayers Association.
"The town fumbled," Town Attorney Michael Stachowski admitted.
The project did not come to light until early this month, when the DEC sent the town notice it had issued a positive declaration, which requires Buffalo Crushed Stone to prepare an environmental impact survey studying the environmental consequences.
Despite the delay, zoning inspector Daniel Ulatowski said he believes there still is time for the town to become involved in the process.
"The town is going to assert that we be an involved agency," he said. "In my opinion we have the ability to participate in this process."
He said the town wants to participate in the scoping meeting to determine what issues and concerns should be addressed in the draft environmental impact statement.
The DEC's list of concerns includes significant impacts on land, the extension by 20 years to truck traffic on nearby roads, visual impacts, and potential impacts of significant noise, blasting and odor, adverse air and water quality.
"I think we're going to be sacrificial lambs," Wiercioch said.
Town officials said moving the asphalt plant closer to Broadway is not connected with Buffalo Crushed Stone's offer to move the entrance from Como Park to Indian Road. The company has offered to move the entrance if the town sold Indian Road to the quarry.
"That didn't come up with discussions about the road," Gabryszak said. "That road really acts as a boundary for an expansion of mining. If we lost that, we probably lose the ability to block them from mining across the road near the landfill and creek."
"The town fumbled," Town Attorney Michael Stachowski admitted.
Yea, the town fumbled when we allowed Stachowski to hold the Town attorney position. (full time pay for part time work) must be nice MIke.
How many other reports have been ignored in this town?
Wake up people!
I have to laugh when I hear people complain about the mining at Quarry. I mean REALLYWhat is SOOOO wrong with that place? Does ANYONE?? realize how much tax dollars that they provide to the town and county? The amount of workers that they employ? That crushed stone is used for everything from highway projects to new driveways. They were there before many of the people that are complaining were there.
Furthermore, it is THEIR LAND!!!! They OWN the land!! Not the neighbors!!! The NEIGHBORS DO NOT PAY THE TAXES ON THE QUARRY, THE QUARRY OWNER PAYS THE TAXES ON THE QUARRY!!
The quarry owner has the right to use his land as he and the zoning code sees fit. The NEIGHBORS do not have a right to stop him from doing business that is permitted in the zoning code.
Where do you expect the crushed stone to come from, if it does not come from there? People always want to have it both ways
It reminds me of the "Not in my backyard" kind of thinking , when it comes to garbage dumps. Everyone wants their garbage picked up each week, but they don't want to have a garbage dump in their town. So, what do they do? They pay to have their garbage hauled to some other town that will accept it.
farmall806
farmall806 writes:
OK, so who do you work for? The Quarry? Do you own the quarry? I know, your one of those that think if you throw garbage in the lake it will disappear. (WRONG)I have to laugh when I hear people complain about the mining at Quarry. I mean REALLY What is SOOOO wrong with that place? Does ANYONE?? realize how much tax dollars that they provide to the town and county? The amount of workers that they employ?
Give me a break, the current quarry (notice I said current quarry) was not there before any of these homes. It's a massive, dirty, smelling pit that needs to finish it's life in it's current location and leave this community in PEACE!
This community has a high rate of respiratory disease among NON smokers as shown in a study by the Center for Asthma and environmental exposure. Our children are sick and people like you can't get it through your heads that the dust which contains high levels of "SILICA", and the chemical odors from the hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide which that quarry pumps into our air continually is making our children sick!
It won't take a rocket scientist to understand that it's not healthy for a growing child to breath chemicals and dust each and every day.
This is 2005, we don't have to use "NEWLY" crushed stone for everything any longer. Did you ever hear of reclamation? Recycling? Stripping the earth of all its resources while poisoning the public is no longer an accepted practice among those with intellect.
For your information, the zoning in the town of Cheektowaga on the particular parcel of land is NOT, I repeat NOT zoned M2, it's M1, LIGHT MANUFACTURING so the asphalt plant can NOT BE MOVED without a RE-ZONING of the parcel and baby the residents have all the right in the world to fight this change to the bitter end. This is a RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY ol' Detwhiler should have done a bit more homework before he decided to purchase this site. Why do you think it was sold?? The old owner did not want to deal with the residential community and the complaints of DUST< ODOR< DAMAGE< ground water and creek pollution< general loss of quality of life.
That quarry has out lived it's life in Bellevue, many dirty little back door deals were made to keep it open over the years. They over stepped their boundaries in the past without legal permission from the town.
Let them finish out what little time they have left right where they are then give us the 2 lakes, park and area for homes as stated in their reclamation plan which is filed with the NYSDEC mining office.
We, the residents, pay far more taxes then Detwhiler ever will. Once that land is reclaimed it will be worth much more on the tax roles for this town then it is now.
The truth is not many people work at the 500 Como Park blvd location and if this quarry closes their Union contract states that the workers will be transferred to a different location.. We have done our homework, have you?
Convenient stone is the only and I REPEAT the only reason it's still here and of course we have dinosaurs like Jimmie J. on the town board, he still thinks we should throw garbage in the lake or better yet lets BURN IT! Hey ya alllets go down to the park, pave it over, kill the deer and pour oil on the goose eggs if we listen close maybe we can hear the cry of the developed embryo inside the shell> For that matter lets clone humans and harvest their organs.
One more question for ya, did you think we should have let them raise our taxes in the county again? "IT's ONLY A PENNY"
May GOD BLESS YOU, and may your loved ones live a peaceful healthy existence
What do you do with a quarry once it's all ben dug?
I suggest a landfill. At least you won't have those annoying blasts.
First of all, GARBAGE is not thrown into Lake Erie. Don't want to have a good fishing spot ruined
2nd: Where would you locate a stone quarry? They have to be located somewhere. What happens if a stone quarry that NEVER had a housing development around it, started having houses built around it? Should that quarry go out of business because the NEW neighbors don't like the quarry?
3rd: SILICA Products people use EVERYDAY!!! contain SILICA!! TOOTHPASTE CONTAINS hydrated silica! Paint contains silica, ect.
4th: There is only so much we can reclaim and recycle. Sometimes, the new materials are cheaper that the recycled materials. Are you against clean coal technology too, because that requires the use of a raw material WHICH MUST BE MINED
5th: Nothing wrong with burning garbage as long as the incinerator has good scrubbers on the smokestack. Burning garbage can be used to run generators which can be used to create electricity for people's homes. Thats a good thing.
6th: It's not " Hey ya all" It's "Hey, y'all"
7th: You mean to say you don't like Venison?
8th: Cloning: They already started it.
9th: County taxes: No, I don't think they should have raised the sales tax another penny. I would like to see it back down to 7 percent. I don't see that as happening , though. I do know that we are going to get a county property tax increase for 2006. It will be in the range of 30 to 40 percent increase in county property taxes for Erie County residents. The politicians know that a sales tax will not go through, so the only other choice is the property tax and they will raise the county property tax if they can't raise the sales tax because there will be no other source of revenue.
farmall806
I'm not saying I'm for or against the bid by Buffalo Crushed Stone--I don't know that much about it. But...anyone ever go swimming in the Quarry up in Canada? It has a natural spring and is clear clean water for swimming. I forget the name of it but we called it the quarry. There's a good thing out of a bad thing. Lemonade out of lemons.Originally posted by therising
What do you do with a quarry once it's all ben dug?
I suggest a landfill. At least you won't have those annoying blasts.
I don't know how the neighborhood is impacted with dust and noise and stuff so I can't speak for them.
Windmill Point? Is that right?
To quote farmall806: "First of all, GARBAGE is not thrown into Lake Erie. Don't want to have a good fishing spot ruined"
Are we forgetting that garbage was once thrown into the lake, not so very long ago. We have the last generation to control WNY to thank for that. remember why we had those zebra muscles brought in? They are GARBAGE EATERS!
farmall806 quote:"2nd: Where would you locate a stone quarry? They have to be located somewhere. What happens if a stone quarry that NEVER had a housing development around it, started having houses built around it? Should that quarry go out of business because the NEW neighbors don't like the quarry?"
CHEEKY043: It's not where I would locate a stone quarry it's where would it be safe. If a quarry or any manufacturing facility "NEVER had housing around it" it is up to the TOWN/Village/City PLANNING BOARD and the NYSDEC to determine if there would be an environmental impact that would/could harm humans exposed to the facility daily. (not just for 8 hours)
This is not an issue of like or dislike my dear, this is an issue of safety first. The responsibility we all have to our children/grandchildren, the next generation who will carry on when we are all dust and have been returned to mother earth.
farmall806 quote "3rd: SILICA Products people use EVERYDAY!!! contain SILICA!! TOOTHPASTE CONTAINS hydrated silica! Paint contains silica, ect."
CHEEKY043: Time to get out the text books, there are many types of silica used in every day items throughout the household yes indeed you are correct. Then there is what is known as "CRYSTALLINE SILICA" microscopic particles that when breathed in embed themselves in ones lungs. Health effects of Crystalline Silica exposure: In 1997, crystalline silica in the form of quartz or cristobalite was categorized as a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) [8]. Lung cancer is the only cancer shown to be associated with silica dust exposure. Crystalline silica has been linked with cases of autoimmune diseases such as scleroderma, systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus), rheumatoid arthritis etc. Chronic renal disease, possibly due to immunological abnormalities, has also been linked with silica dust exposure.
If you are interested in further information I will provide many links that will explain the dangers of Chronic exposure to "RESPIRABLE CRYSTALLINE SILCA" or QUARTZ which is the type of rock mined at this quarry.
farmall806 quote “4th: There is only so much we can reclaim and recycle. Sometimes, the new materials are cheaper that the recycled materials. Are you against clean coal technology too, because that requires the use of a raw material WHICH MUST BE MINED”
CHEEKY043: You are sooo wrong, the amount that we can re-use, recycle is never ending if I were to debate this I will run out of space .
I am not against NEW Technology as long as it is not harmful to anyone no matter what there social stature may be.
farmall806 quote “5th: Nothing wrong with burning garbage as long as the incinerator has good scrubbers on the smokestack. Burning garbage can be used to run generators which can be used to create electricity for people's homes. That’s a good thing.”
CHEEKY043: Do you know what happens when plastic is burned? Birth defects ring a bell?
farmall806 quote “6th: It's not " Hey ya all" It's "Hey, y'all"
CHEEKY043: How did I know you would correct me on this one? You must have said it before????
farmall806 quote “7th: You mean to say you don't like Venison?”
CHEEKY043: Nothing wrong with Venison, nothing wrong with trimming the heard either, but killing the geese come on they cant find anyone who wants to pay to dress them so thay can be eaten it's a slouter.
farmall806 quote “8th: Cloning: They already started it.”
Yes, I know they started it, so do you think it's OK to CLONE a HUMAN to harverst it's organs? answer the quaestion..
Cheeky043
originally posted by SPEAKER
Yes, Speaker you are correct, there are many 'old quarries that have been used as swimming holes all over the world.I'm not saying I'm for or against the bid by Buffalo Crushed Stone--I don't know that much about it. But...anyone ever go swimming in the Quarry up in Canada? It has a natural spring and is clear clean water for swimming. I forget the name of it but we called it the quarry. There's a good thing out of a bad thing. Lemonade out of lemons.
Case in point: Buffalo crushed stone has a reclamation plan they must follow when the mining has been exhausted at this location.
Cheektowaga will have (2) lakes, a park and an area for homes when the quarry closes. Lemonade out of lemons.
What a beautiful place it will be, hope I'm still here to see it.
Cheeky043
I live on rowley road and never really noticed the quarry ever. I even sat one day in my yard to try to feel the blasts which I couldn't. Only once have i smelled the "rotten" egg odor. Occasioanlly I wonder of people just find things to complain about.Give me a break, the current quarry (notice I said current quarry) was not there before any of these homes. It's a massive, dirty, smelling pit that needs to finish it's life in it's current location and leave this community in PEACE!
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......or, are people trying to shut down a legitimate business so that their property vaules will rise when they're located near "(2) lakes, a park and an area for homes when the quarry closes "
posted by WNY RESIDENT:
I live on rowley road and never really noticed the quarry ever. I even sat one day in my yard to try to feel the blasts which I couldn't. Only once have i smelled the "rotten" egg odor. Occasioanlly I wonder of people just find things to complain about
Oh Ya, where on Rowley rd do you live?
As far as you not smelling anything, if you lived in the area a long time, your sense of smell may be deadened do to chronic exposure to hydrogen sulfide. This is not something that has been imagined by a few people it has been documented by the DEC officials, Town officials, and other state officials as well as the media (TV and Newspaper)
Not everyone will feel the blasting on their property do the location of the faults in the area. There are "fishers" (incorrect spelling) in the earth, many in this area. The vibrations follow these natural lines in the earth and if your property is not in line with a fault you will not feel it. Also it depends on the time of day you sat in your yard or if you may have felt it in your home and not in your yard. Listen, tests have been done by the DEC that show we are all telling the truth.
Do you really think people would waste this amount of time on something if it was not really harmful and an annoyance?
I have better things to do then complain, we have learned the facts and now we plan on protecting our community so keep on putting us down, it will only make us stronger.
cheeky043
originally posted by therising
"......or, are people trying to shut down a legitimate business so that their property vaules will rise when they're located near "(2) lakes, a park and an area for homes when the quarry closes "
Yes, your right we want to shut down a legitimate business just for the heck of it. As far as the taxes go, I'll pay more taxes to have the lakes here and the rotten smelling, dirty, dust, health impairing eye sore removed.
Come on can't you find more ammo then this it's getting old already..........
BTW, Cheeky--those zebra mussels were not brought in--They emigrated across the pond. They are not a welcome guest, either, they clog up the water intakes and build up like coral on anything they find. I think, though, they do some cleaning of the lakes. The best cleaning of the lakes would be to stop the factories on both sides, Canada and USA from dumping chemicals.
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