Quarry Planned in Watershed

North Mountain Shale, LLC recently announced plans to open shale quarry in a major water source area.  North Mountain Shale, LLC is a newly formed West Virginia mining company under the auspices of a brick manufacturing company, Continental Brick Manufacturing Company of Martinsburg, WV.

North Mountain Shale, LLC bought a farm property of approximately 400 acres that became available due to a family death that lies across the side of North Mountain next to the historic town of Gerrardstown, WV.  An application is being processed by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) to allow the surface mining of shale and is being resisted by local citizens organized under the banner of CARE, Citizens Alliance for a Responsible Environment.

CARE has been successful in having one application for storm water run off withdrawn.  The mining company has reapplied for another permit and is going through the bureaucratic process of completing the second application for consideration.  The members of CARE have established a website – www.northmountain.org – to communicate with the community and supporters of the environment.

At risk are numerous streams feeding waterways flowing into the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay.  The quarry will lay bare acres of forest that are now part of the natural water source for these streams.  The rapid run off of rain water over the bare earth resulting from plowing the forests down will disrupt the natural watercharge area for these streams, and add significant silt and debris loads to the existing down range creeks, streams, and rivers ultimately flowing into the Chesapeake Bay.  In addition, public drinking water is drawn from these streams and the significant underlying water table. 

A public comment period will open soon on the current application and the group hopes to have help with citizens expressing their concerns to the WVDEP. CARE will be posting current information as available on the web site – www.northmountain.org