PORT LUDLOW — Jim Burnett, co-owner of Iron Mountain Quarry LLC, stood before 150 residents of Jefferson County on Wednesday night and told them exactly how he felt about his company’s proposed quarry operation a mile and a half from Port Ludlow.
“I honestly feel you will see us as a good neighbor,” Burnett said. “You won’t know we are there, and once we’re up and running, you will see us as an asset, not a liability.”
Burnett’s company is proposing to mine basalt on 142 acres of land leased from Pope Resources.
The quarry would be located next to the existing 40-acre Shine Quarry.
Burnett explained the plan was not to mine the land all at once, but to begin with a location about a quarter of the size of the total leased land.
“It will be about 15 years before we are even looking at phase two,” Burnett said, explaining the size of the lease was intended to allow mining well into the future.
The company has yet to apply for a series of permits to authorize mining in the area, and is now conducting transportation, environmental, noise and view studies of the area, Burnett added.
In April, when Jefferson County Superior Court Judge Craddock Verser ruled that Iron Mountain would not need a conditional use permit to begin mining, he also said that the mine would need stormwater permits, a State Environmental Policy Act review, conditional use permits must be issued for noise and dust, sand and gravel surveys by the state Department of Ecology and clearance for mining use by the state Department of Natural Resources.
Burnett said he expected the studies to show there would be minimal impact to residents of Port Ludlow, and that his proposal will be approved.
“I don’t think you will even know we’re there,” Burnett said. “I don’t think you’ll know we exist.”
Dust, traffic, water
Many residents of Port Ludlow voiced concern over key issues they had peppered Pope staff about in the past, including potential noise, dust, increased traffic and possible contamination of the local aquifer.
Burnett said each concern was noted, but that he believed there would be minimal impact on each count.
“The market for the rock is in Kitsap County,” he said. “The traffic will be going along Highway 104 and over the bridge.”
Burnett also said his company was using state-of-the-art technology for controlled blasts and mining procedures.
“These are precision blasts,” he said. “They will take place a couple of times a month.
“You likely won’t hear them, as distance is the enemy of noise and we are far enough away.”
As for the concerns over the aquifer, Burnett said a study had determined there would be no impact.
“There will be no geological or topographical connection between this site and the wells in the region,” he said.
Burnett said every study was being done as completely as possible, since damage to the aquifer or falsehood in noise and dust management would open the company to liability.
Comment period
Jon Rose, an area manager for Pope, reminded residents that there will be a comment period after Iron Mountain submits permit applications.
“These studies will be made public, and if you disagree with them, you can submit an opinion about it to the county for them to decide,” Rose said.
“The track record so far is two quarries have operated near Port Ludlow.
“Is this closer? Yes it is. But is it exponentially closer? No it is not.”
Iron Mountain and the county have gone to court twice over the proposed mine: when Verser issued his April ruling, and in November 2008, when the judge ruled that the county hearing examiner was correct in giving the quarry permission to mine the land.
The hearing examiner’s ruling approved the request under the doctrine of diminishing assets, agreeing with Pope Resources that it had intended to mine the land before new Jefferson County land use codes became law.
Burnett said his intention was not to make anyone angry, and he hoped that no one would be able to see or hear the mine once it was operational.
“Once we’re done, we’d like you to come view our operation,” Burnett said.
“If you do that, I don’t think you’ll feel this way.”
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Reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at erik.hidle@peninsuladailynews.com.
