UPDATE: Residents Speak Out Over Proposed Quarry

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — Update: Since airing this story, ABC Columbia News heard back from officials at Vulcan Materials Some Lexington County residents are speaking out against a proposed quarry in Batesburg-Leesville. “I know many of us live here because of the community it is, but I just see a whole new change in the neighborhood in this area,” says Kathy Tillman, who lives about one mile from the location of the proposed quarry. Tillman was among residents we met Wednesday, who do not want the quarry. “There’s going to be rock-crushing equipment here, there’s going to be explosions, dynamite, there’s going to be dust in the air,” says Mundina O’Driscoll Another concern is what’s called the ‘setback.’ “From my property line into the quarry property. The quarry people will have to go back 300 feet before they can do anything. And within that three hundred feet , there has to be 200 ft of what is called “buffer,” says O’Driscoll Residents say that’s not enough. “They’re not the maximum zoning issues that are in South Carolina. There are other counties who have stronger zoning issues,’ says Tillman Besides noise, the more than 5,400 residents living within close distance to the proposed quarry are also concerned about water. “Wells, of course we’re on wells, the contamination, the loss of them,” says Tillman The company hoping to put the quarry here is Vulcan Materials. According to their website, they have 13 quarries in South Carolina two of them are in Columbia. Vice President of Human Resources at Vulcan, Jimmy Fleming, told ABC Columbia News they expect 12 direct full time positions will be available at the facility. This in addition to indirect jobs created because of the quarry. Fleming says the Columbia Quarry has been in operation for 125 years and could continue to operate for another 15-20 years. Fleming says the company looks far out in planning for the future and the Lexington Quarry would help meet demands of the growing market in Lexington and Columbia. Fleming says the facility would be especially helpful when the time comes to phase down the Columbia Quarry. But, the residents we spoke with Wednesday don’t want the Lexington Quarry. “You might not see it for several years, but 50 years down the road, there is going to be a whole different area,” says Tillman The Vulcan website also boasts how properties, once quarries, have been reclaimed as lakes, water storage facilities, recreational parks and more. Fleming also told ABC Columbia News: “We understand that residents have concerns about a number of issues, particularly if they are not familiar with the workings of a modern quarry operation. Vulcan Materials operates quarries in 22 states, in many different kinds of settings. We have operations in very rural and very urban environments. In some cases we operate in close proximity to schools, churches, hospitals and residential uses. We have been recognized in particular for our noise reduction programs and we are considered the foremost leader in the area of industrial health and screening programs to keep our employees safe and healthy.” We also reached out to the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Lexington County Council. Chairman Johnny Jeffcoat told us he did not have a comment at this time. We have not heard back from Vice-Chair Todd Cullum.