Letter: Tarmac Questions

Editor:

The Tarmac King Road Mine has a total project area of 9377.7 acres, more or less, and a mining area of 4796.4 acres, more of less. The current land use and zoning district is Forestry/Rural Residential. They report that blasting would be limited to 1or 2 times per week, really?

The estimated depth of excavations will reach 100 to 125 feet, really? An estimated 600 million tons of limerock is allegedly available within the mining site. There is a life expectancy of 100 years and new mining cuts will average 40 acres per year.

The County has agreed the proposed mining operation appears to be consistent with the applicable policies of the Future Land Use Element in an area designated as Rural by the County's Comprehensive Plan. It also appears to be consistent with the Transportation Element. Tarmac proposes a buffer consistent with the Conservation Element.

The proposed location of the subject property appears to be within areas recognized as environmentally sensitive lands, as identified by the Comprehensive plan. Tarmac, allegedly, shall demonstrate compliance with all applicable policies within the Conservation Element of the Levy County Comprehensive Plan regarding environmentally sensitive lands and Mineral Resources and Mining.

Will Tarmac bring to Levy County a large monetary benefit? In their initial brochure Tarmac states, "if the King Road Mine is approved, more than $1 billion dollars in new revenue will flow into Levy County in the first decade of operations." This amounts to $100 million dollars per year. In the Gainesville Sun on April 14, 2008, Albert Townsend, who is director of real estate and environmental services for Tarmac America, made the same statement.

Question, who in the County will be receiving this money? How does Tarmac break down this $100 million to those in the County? Can they? What, in reality, would the proposed traffic count be going through the Inglis/Yankeetown area? Isn't it ironic that US 19 was just recently repaved? Who will get the contract for hauling the limerock? Will this be a Levy County trucking company or someone outside the County?

In reality how much water will be used on a daily basis? After washing the limerock and placing it on the trucks will the just washed rock create a problem for those driving on US 19 and in and round the Inglis/Yankeetown? Will rocks falling off the trucks create a problem when being hauled? Just how much of the limerock will remain and be used in Levy County?

Ms. Sallie Price was approached about being appointed to the County Commission replacing Mr. Yearty. She had a meeting but it seems, without her knowledge until the time of the meeting, it consisted of those from Tarmac America. After reading her statement I couldn't help but wonder if Tarmac consulted with any of the sitting County Commissioners and either of the two suspended County Commissioners? I wonder?

There are too many questions and variables that have not been truthfully answered by Tarmac America. All in all it does not seem that this mine will benefit Levy County at all, but only cause problems with the Inglis/Yankeetown communities and for the County as a whole. In my humble opinion this operation is not needed in Levy County.

Jerry Robinson
Williston