Quarry

The Howard County Board of Appeals last night gave final approval for a proposed rock quarry in Jessup, but not without one more bit of controversy.The unanimous vote allows developer Kingdon Gould Jr., a North Laurel resident and a Washington parking lot magnate, to establish a quarry to mine a crystalline rock called Baltimore gabbro on a 546-acre wooded site east of Interstate 95, west of U.S. 1 and south of Route 175.But the board also made several changes...

The state Court of Appeals has agreed to hear arguments in a quarry company's case against the county.The state's highest court has agreed to hear an appeal filed by The Arundel Corp., said company attorney William B. Dulany of Westminster."We're very happy with this decision," he said.The company, based in Towson, Baltimore County, would like to open a quarry in the Wakefield Valley area and has been involved in a zoning dispute with the county over its plans for the past three years.After hearing arguments early next year, the high court probably will not make a decision until spring, Dulany said.

Jarrett Lyons says he's been fighting a good fight for more than 10 years against Arundel Sand and Gravel Co.'s quarry operation near Havre de Grace.Mr. Lyons and fellow residents of the Meadowvale community have complained about zoning violations, truck traffic, blasting, huge dirt piles and the effect on property values.Over the years, Mr. Lyons, president of the Northwest Neighborhood Association, says he and his neighbors have been battling alone. Now, as Arundel seeks permission to expand its operation to 400 acres in the coming years, the Meadowvale residents have lots of company.

William Piccirilli didn't hesitate when the National Guard sought earth and stone from his Marriottsville quarry to rebuild bridges, roads and buildings devastated by Hurricane Agnes in 1972.The quarry survived the hurricane and the onslaught of dump trucks and front-end loaders that hauled away the free earth and stone for the repair of Howard County's washed-out roads.Now, Mr. Piccirilli fears that his 34-year-old business may not survive a fight with state environmental officials, prompted by the stream of muddy water that washes out of a silt pond behind the quarry's chain-link fence along Marriottsville Road.

I write to correct some misleading information in your April 5 editorial ''Honoring the quarry law.''The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) pushed for nearly half a decade to implement the law that protects people living near quarries from subsidence damage, sinkholes or loss of well water. We supported the law when it was first proposed and we support it now.In the months since the Supreme Court effectively blocked efforts to overturn the law, the department has assembled scientific data and worked to gain public comment on the impact quarries have on nearby property owners.

The carcasses of 70 deer, apparently shot by poachers, were found inan abandoned slate quarry near the Harford-Pennsylvania border on Jan. 16, the state Department of Natural Resources police said.DNR Officer Jeffrey Sizemore said bucks, does and two fawns were found bya dirt biker in three piles within a mile from each other off Slate Ridge Road near Cardiff.Two of the piles were within 100 yards of each other and the other carcass pile was about a mile away, Sizemore said."We can't be positive that they were all related," Sizemore said.

Maryland's highest court ruled yesterday that quarry companies in Carroll and three other counties should be HTC presumed responsible for damage to wells belonging to people who live within a certain distance of a quarry.The decision is a victory for residents because it gives them new protections against damage to their water supplies caused by mining operations.The Court of Appeals ruling upheld a state law that was passed in 1991 but never implemented because quarry companies challenged it in court.

Jessup homeowners have organized a new community association they hope will give them a "unified voice" in negotiations with Washington businessman Kingdon Gould, who wants to develop a quarry in their neighborhood.Called Ridgelys Run Community Association, the organization includes developments east of Interstate 95, west of U.S. 1, north of Guilford Road and south of Route 175. Organizers say the association will deal with other issues of concern to members of the community of more than 500 homes.

The 1 1/2 -year battle between state regulators and Howard County's only quarry has ended, but the owner says resulting losses may drive him to sell his business.James "Skip" Piccirilli said he is preparing to begin mining on the part of his quarry that was shut down in November 1993 by the state agency that regulates mines. Piccirilli Quarries -- which Mr. Piccirilli owns with his father, William -- borders Marriottsville Road south of Driver Road in Marriottsville.Mr. Piccirilli says the required shutdown on a steep slope that faces the road has cost his company $300,000 to $400,000.

The state Senate unanimously approved a bill Friday making mining companies responsible for damages they might cause.The House must concur with Senate amendments before passage becomes official, but no problems are expected, said the bill's co-sponsors, Delegates RichardN. Dixon, D-Carroll, and Donald B. Elliott, R-Carroll, Howard.The approval concludes a four-year battle the two delegates wagedagainst the industry to protect residents' property.After opposing the bill since its inception in 1988, industry representatives agreed last week to support the legislation with certain amendments onceit appeared likely to pass a Senate committee.