Tax-Payer Funded Driveway Denied
The Citizens Against the McMinn Co. Quarry recently learned the quarry developers have applied for state and local tax-dollars to be used for a private driveway to connect their quarry to Bowater Road. In this application they suggest purchasing all the right-of-way property, engineering, environmental studies will be paid for by TDOT (the state) and the locality (Calhoun).
But according to a recent email inquiry by one of our group leaders, it appears the developers will not, in fact, receive a permit from TDOT.
The developers were applying for TDOT's State Industrial Access (SIA) program, which is designed for industrial parks, manufacturing centers, and multiple industrial uses. It was not intended for rock quarries. This explains why Avenrock (formerly East Tennessee Materials) has added "ready mix concrete" and "brick manufacturing" to their application - they were hoping to "manufacture" something to skirt around the intention of the state and locally funded grant program. Luckily for us, TDOT officials were able to see thru this ruse.
We believe that without this road, the quarry developers will not be able to safely develop this quarry.
(One other note - Mr. Sutherland states the city of Calhoun would actually be the applicant even though Mayor Gary Barham claims Calhoun has no control over the quarry.)
See below email exchange between one of our committee members and Chester Sutherland of TDOT:
Dear XXXXXXXXXXXXX,
Mr. Sutherland has responded to you inquiry.
Regards,
Eddie Jackson TDOT Legal
>>> Chester Sutherland 10/7/2010 9:21 PM >>>
Eddie,
My responses are below in blue.
Is the application complete? Yes, this is how it was submitted. Had this project actually moved further into consideration additional data would have been completed.
There was no Certified Resolution accompanying the application. Has this not been addressed by the local government? No, at this stage it is not necessary.
The TDEC application drawings show the proposed industrial highway intersecting the Bowater Road at a different location. Which is correct? The yellow dashed line would be the requested roadway.
The TDEC application lists East Tennessee Materials as the applicant and the SIA application lists Avenrock Materials as the applicant. Which is correct? Avenrock Industries would be the industry served. The City of Calhoun would actually be the applicant.
Was a field review performed? Yes If so, by whom? The initial field review consisted of Chester Sutherland TDOT, Chuck Hammond SETDD, Jack Hammondtree McMinn County representative and two other gentlemen with a development company, I will have to check and get their names.
What are the remaining steps needed for East Tennessee Materials (Avenrock) to obtain approval? The industry as described in the application is a quarry and this type of industry does not qualify for the SIA program.
Thank you,
Chester
Chester Sutherland
Project Management Division
Region II, Chattanooga
office: 423-510-1229
fax: 423-855-8653
A community resource designed to share information about the proposed 421-acre quarry outside of Calhoun, TN
More Fuzzy Math
The Citizens Against the McMinn Co. Quarry met last Thursday and one of our members pointed out some extreme inconsistencies between the quarry developers' TDEC Application (NPDES) and their TDOT Application (to receive a TAXPAYER-funded driveway from their quarry to Bowater Road/Hwy. 163).
Both TDEC and TDOT may wonder if these are, in fact, applications for the same quarry. The responses are so different that we are not sure which numbers to follow.
The inconsistencies here show a lack of attention to detail at best (not ideal when you are talking about blasting out 1,500,000 tons of rock from the side of a mountain every year) and, at worst, an attempt to deceive the citizens of Calhoun and McMinn County as to how many jobs will be produced and hide from residents the truth about just how many trucks are going to travel up and down Bowater Road every day.
Here are the highlighted discrepancies:
1. Let's start with Applicant/Developer's name/entity
TDEC - listed as East TN Materials, LLC (p. 1 and 3) and Calhoun Materials (p. 47)
TDOT - listed as Avenrock Materials (p. 13)
In addition, Tim Townhill, who is listed as the Managing Member in the TDEC Application, is also an Executive Vice President, Business Development of a company called VantaCore (see below link; Townhill's name is listed in last paragraph).
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vantacore-partners-lp-announces-its-formation-and-tennessee-quarry-and-asphalt-acquisitions-58572122.html
Finally, Scott Alexander who is a partner of Tim Townhill's in East TN Materials/Avenrock is current President and CEO of Johnson Construction Materials in Indianapolis.
Who are we supposed to contact if we have an issue with the quarry? God-forbid someone has an accident or there is flooding in the quarry, etc. or people's foundation's are cracked and need help from the quarry? We're not sure who we are supposed to call.
2. Truck Traffic
Our committee estimated 264 trucks per day based on the TDEC application's estimate of the amount of rock quarried out of the site; developers didn't dispute our numbers at the Calhoun City Commission Meeting on Sep. 13, 2010.
TDOT - It's no wonder the developers didn't dispute our estimates because in their application for the SIA program under TDOT, the developers estimated 375 trucks per year (p. 13)
With the heavy logging traffic on Bowater Road (Hwy. 163) already coming from the Bowater plant, adding 375 trucks per day to this winding, hilly stretch of highway is a safety nightmare and a disaster waiting to happen. There have been numerous accidents and traffic fatalities on this stretch of road in recent years. We cannot imagine that TDOT will authorize the quarry to operate using Bowater Road.
3. Employment
TDEC - 10 (p. 24)
McMinn Co. Commission Meeting 8/16/2010 - 20 (Daily Post Athenian Article 8/17/2010)
Calhoun City Commission Meeting 9/13/2010 - 10-15 initially; 60 permanent jobs
TDOT - 25 initially; 50 in Year 5 (p. 13)
Ironic that the employment number continues to increase as opposition in the community continues to grow.
4. Tonnage of Rock Quarried Annually
TDEC - 1,250,000 tons per year (p. 25)
TDOT - 1,500,000 tons per year (Project Overview after p. 18)
Calhoun City Commission Meeting 9/13/2010 - 600,000 tons per year
During the Calhoun City Commission meeting on Sep. 13, 2010, Scott Alexander of Avenrock Materials stated that the amount of rock to be pulled out was likely closer to 600,000 tons per year and that the 1.25 million was the maximum amount that the developers anticipated extracting each year. So why on the later TDOT application has that number moved up to 1.5 million?
5. Nature of Business
TDEC - Limestone quarrying, hauling, crushing, stockpiling and sales (p. 8)
TDOT - integrated manufacturing facility which will produce ready-mix concrete, asphalt, pre-cast concrete pipe/block/forms and manufacture material for use in general construction (Project Overview after p. 18)
Our guess is that this use change occurred because to be eligible for the SIA program through TDOT, a road must be providing access to an industry site or industrial park. Industrial use would be defined more precisely as an entity that produces a product - not a quarry that simply hauls out and crushes limestone, yet produces nothing.
Both TDEC and TDOT may wonder if these are, in fact, applications for the same quarry. The responses are so different that we are not sure which numbers to follow.
The inconsistencies here show a lack of attention to detail at best (not ideal when you are talking about blasting out 1,500,000 tons of rock from the side of a mountain every year) and, at worst, an attempt to deceive the citizens of Calhoun and McMinn County as to how many jobs will be produced and hide from residents the truth about just how many trucks are going to travel up and down Bowater Road every day.
Here are the highlighted discrepancies:
1. Let's start with Applicant/Developer's name/entity
TDEC - listed as East TN Materials, LLC (p. 1 and 3) and Calhoun Materials (p. 47)
TDOT - listed as Avenrock Materials (p. 13)
In addition, Tim Townhill, who is listed as the Managing Member in the TDEC Application, is also an Executive Vice President, Business Development of a company called VantaCore (see below link; Townhill's name is listed in last paragraph).
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vantacore-partners-lp-announces-its-formation-and-tennessee-quarry-and-asphalt-acquisitions-58572122.html
Finally, Scott Alexander who is a partner of Tim Townhill's in East TN Materials/Avenrock is current President and CEO of Johnson Construction Materials in Indianapolis.
Who are we supposed to contact if we have an issue with the quarry? God-forbid someone has an accident or there is flooding in the quarry, etc. or people's foundation's are cracked and need help from the quarry? We're not sure who we are supposed to call.
2. Truck Traffic
Our committee estimated 264 trucks per day based on the TDEC application's estimate of the amount of rock quarried out of the site; developers didn't dispute our numbers at the Calhoun City Commission Meeting on Sep. 13, 2010.
TDOT - It's no wonder the developers didn't dispute our estimates because in their application for the SIA program under TDOT, the developers estimated 375 trucks per year (p. 13)
With the heavy logging traffic on Bowater Road (Hwy. 163) already coming from the Bowater plant, adding 375 trucks per day to this winding, hilly stretch of highway is a safety nightmare and a disaster waiting to happen. There have been numerous accidents and traffic fatalities on this stretch of road in recent years. We cannot imagine that TDOT will authorize the quarry to operate using Bowater Road.
3. Employment
TDEC - 10 (p. 24)
McMinn Co. Commission Meeting 8/16/2010 - 20 (Daily Post Athenian Article 8/17/2010)
Calhoun City Commission Meeting 9/13/2010 - 10-15 initially; 60 permanent jobs
TDOT - 25 initially; 50 in Year 5 (p. 13)
Ironic that the employment number continues to increase as opposition in the community continues to grow.
4. Tonnage of Rock Quarried Annually
TDEC - 1,250,000 tons per year (p. 25)
TDOT - 1,500,000 tons per year (Project Overview after p. 18)
Calhoun City Commission Meeting 9/13/2010 - 600,000 tons per year
During the Calhoun City Commission meeting on Sep. 13, 2010, Scott Alexander of Avenrock Materials stated that the amount of rock to be pulled out was likely closer to 600,000 tons per year and that the 1.25 million was the maximum amount that the developers anticipated extracting each year. So why on the later TDOT application has that number moved up to 1.5 million?
5. Nature of Business
TDEC - Limestone quarrying, hauling, crushing, stockpiling and sales (p. 8)
TDOT - integrated manufacturing facility which will produce ready-mix concrete, asphalt, pre-cast concrete pipe/block/forms and manufacture material for use in general construction (Project Overview after p. 18)
Our guess is that this use change occurred because to be eligible for the SIA program through TDOT, a road must be providing access to an industry site or industrial park. Industrial use would be defined more precisely as an entity that produces a product - not a quarry that simply hauls out and crushes limestone, yet produces nothing.