Surface mining changes in the works for Floyd County Commission

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County leaders say there’s a big difference between surface mining and a quarry.

That’s one reason Floyd County is examining changes to local law and the Unified Land Development Code that would make surface mining, or soft material extraction, less restrictive.

The

Floyd

County Commission will conduct a public hearing on those changes at its Nov. 25 meeting. The public will have the chance to speak for or against the proposal.

Both surface mining and quarries currently fall under the county’s quarrying ordinance.

That ordinance includes restrictions for excavations using blasting and explosives.

A proposed change in local law, under discussion for some five years, would tweak surface mining’s restrictions — drawing a large line between quarrying and soft material extraction.

“There’s blasting. There’s explosives,” County Manager Jamie McCord said of quarrying.

Blasting isn’t allowed in surface mining.

Surface mining is used to pull materials such as clay and shale from a hill. Under the proposed ordinance, a site plan and completion schedule must exist. Stormwater and runoff collection plans also must be made.

No groundwater aquifers can be encountered and no removal occurs below the water table.

“And it still requires a special use permit,” McCord said. “There’s going to have to be all kinds of engineering, restrictions. All special use permits require a public hearing.”

Tamie Jovanelly, associate professor of geology at Berry College, has concerns.

According to Jovanelly, surface mining can uncover minerals such as sulfur and iron that can oxidize. That would increase the potential for the water column to be affected.

“And then, of course, it’s an eyesore a lot of the time,” Jovanelly added.

After hearing concerns from two residents, the County Commission postponed a Sept. 8 hearing on the issue and sent the proposed changes back to the Rome-Floyd County Planning Commission for further review.

The planning commission on Nov. 6 recommended adoption of the proposed amendment.