Don’t.
Just don’t.
That’s what John Borst, neighbor to Cobleskill Stone Product’s facility for 77 years—20 of them as mayor and another 33 as Village trustee—told DEC in letter opposing CSP’s request to expand into the Northwest corner of its Schoharie quarry.
Of particular concern is the blasting the mining would require and its impact on the Village of Schoharie’s new concrete water tank, 100 feet away.
“I see a great threat to our water system,” said Deputy Mayor Peter Johnson, also sounding the alarm.
“We are talking about allowing an active quarry to blow up rock 100 feet from a water tank, the village, school, County Office Building…Is there any place else in New York State where that would even be considered?”
The village first learned of CSP’s plans to expand mining at the 163 Eastern Avenue quarry on January 2, when it received notification from DEC that a “complete and technical review [of CSP’s application] has commenced.”
That kicked off a 30-day public comment period that was supposed to end February 7.
But at the village’s request, DEC has extended it to February 28.
“The gravity of the situation, liability and who’s responsible if something goes wrong…Those are all things that need to be addressed,” and why the village asked that the deadline be extended. Mr. Johnson said, urging residents to write, making it clear the proposed project is “inappropriate and dangerous.”
That address is: Maranda E. Welch, NYSDEC, 1130 Wescott Road, Schenectady, NY 12306, (518) 357-2446.
In his letter to DEC, Mr. Borst stressed the danger to the village’s water system.
“Such a move is fraught with danger as it represents a huge incalculable risk to the integrity of the tank, the nearby approximately century old water main and to the health and safety of village residents.”
Mr. Borst’s property abuts the entire northern boundary of the quarry pit.
“Every blast CSP does can be different depending on the temperature, humidity, rock structure, wind direction, and innumerable other factors,” he wrote. “Some produce little tremors and some are real shakers.
“Years ago, prior to CSP’s ownership, blasting caused 28 windows to be blown out of our house and much more recently, the last remaining plaster ceiling crumbled to the floor.
“Shock waves like that do not happen very frequently, but when they do, they can be very destructive.”
DNT, the installer of the water tank, has already said it won’t guarantee the 500,000 gallon tank won’t be impacted by the mining or blasting.
And the potential damaged isn’t just to the tank itself, Mr. Johnson said, but also to the pipes from the village reservoir on Barton Hill and to residents’ homes.
“If the water goes down” the County Office Building and Schoharie Central School would have to shut down and “there’d be no fire hydrants to use,” he said.
“That’s a dangerous situation.”
The village is also concerned about access to the water tank if CSP’s request is approved.