Residents trying to stop Smyrna Ready Mix (SRM) from proceeding with its limestone quarry on North Driver Road at Snow Hill are being afforded a public hearing to speak out against the state’s issuance of a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit and the potential impact on human health and the environment from treated mine wastewater and storm water on the 30-acre site. The receiving stream for the proposed discharge is Drivers Branch.
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s Division of Mineral and Geologic Resources has announced that a public hearing will be held Thursday, March 27 regarding the proposed issuance of a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit. The hearing will be held at the DeKalb County Complex, 712 South Congress Boulevard, Smithville starting at 5 p.m. with an information session to allow participants to ask questions formally and receive input from the TDEC staff. The formal hearing will begin at 6 p.m.
Once the formal public hearing begins, the question-and-answer format will end, and all public comments will be collected for the hearing record without response from TDEC during the hearing. The public may also join the hearing by computer or phone conference at 1-629-209-4396. Written comments may be submitted by mail or emailed to DMGR.Publicnotice@tn.gov. The last day to submit comments for the hearing is April 7, 2025. If you have questions related to the draft NPDES permit: TN0070737 contact Daniel Lawrence at 865-803-1206 or Daniel.Lawrence@tn.gov
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The purpose of the hearing is to gather information from the public relevant to a final decision on the permit application. Comments not related to water quality, or the information contained in the permit application will not be considered in the decision-making process. Issues such as air quality, zoning, blasting, noise, dust, and traffic are not related to water quality and are not regulated by the Division of Mineral and Geologic Resources or the NPDES program; therefore, consideration of these issues would not contribute relevant information for the proposed permit.
Neighbors in the Snow Hill area first became aware of SRM last summer after being shaken by a blast during the company’s prep work for the quarry at the site. Complaints were filed with the state and county. In August the state found that SRM had been crushing without issuance of an NPDES permit. (Inspection in response to a citizen concern regarding blasting debris and mining activities. Mining staff confirmed the presence of rock processing equipment on site and newly blasted limestone without permit coverage).
SRM submitted an application in September after which the site was determined to be inactive. (Inspection for Hydrological Determination (HD) Report received on September 12, 2024. Staff present included Daniel Lawrence, Bryan Epperson, Emily Bonts, and Rebecca Drennan. HD submittal was confirmed, though additional features further within the property were also identified and subsequently noted to the applicant. Site was not active at the time of inspection. Processing equipment was on site, as were several piles of crushed stone. All drainage was properly controlled. No discharge was occurring, and no condition of pollution was noted. Facility was out of compliance because a NPDES permit is not in place)
By November SRM was again found by the state to be in non-compliance for operating without a permit and halted activity at the site. (Processing rock without permit coverage. Mining activities on site have expanded since the last inspection via land clearing, and site entrances have been made accessible for construction and mine traffic).
According to the state, the permit application was deemed to be complete December 2 but SRM must wait until a permit is approved and in place before proceeding. SRM must also control drainage from the disturbed area.
Locally, neighbors in recent months have complained to the county commission because a cease-and-desist order has not been sent by the county to SRM regarding the quarry on Snow Hill due to the fact that SRM had apparently been operating illegally without a permit prior to passage of the county powers act in October.