News
Public Hearing Scheduled on SRM Limestone Rock Quarry NPDES Permit Application (View Video Here)
February 22, 2025
By: Dwayne Page
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
(CLICK LINK BELOW FOR MORE DETAILS)
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.
County Property for Sale?
February 22, 2025
By: Dwayne Page
County property for sale?
During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, the county commission may consider a recommendation from the Revenue Research Committee on whether to sell two pieces of county owned property.
Larry Green, Chairman of the committee, reported on the recommendation during Tuesday night’s workshop meeting of the full commission. Other members of that committee are Vice Chairman Andy Pack and member Mathias Anderson.
The proposal is for the county to sell property behind the Smithville City Police Department and land on Four Seasons Road where the Pine Creek Saddle Club was once located. In a separate recommendation, Green said the committee wants the county to begin the process of establishing a building permit system through which the county could collect fees on inspections of new construction rather than the state.
“We have talked to a certified building inspector, and he has volunteered his time to help us put in a building permit system,” said Commissioner Green. “His emphasis is on contractors rather than homeowners. If we approve this then we will get into more details on building permits later,” he said.
By selling county owned properties, Green said the county could take revenue from the sales and apply it to other county needs.
“We (committee) are recommending and asking permission for the county to sell two pieces of property, the Pine Creek Saddle Club and the East Walnut Street property directly behind the Smithville Police Department. Some of the other (county owned) lots like at Holiday Haven and Lakeview Mountain Estates, we have to figure out a way to group those together and try to sell them later,” said Chairman Green.
County Mayor Matt Adcock said there is interest in both properties. He added that the City of Smithville perhaps would like to purchase the land behind the police station. Unlike selling county property to the public, Mayor Adcock said the county would not be bound by competitive bidding laws in selling directly to another government entity.
“These two properties we are recommending selling seem to be very viable pieces of property and we could put the money back into the reserve fund. If for instance, Wolf Creek comes on board and we get approval to build that public safety building down there, we don’t have a fire truck for it. We could take the money from the sale of these two pieces of property and probably buy a fire truck,” said Green.
Questions were raised about whether selling those properties, particularly the lot behind the city police department is a good idea.
“They are not making any more land, and we are rapidly running out of space,” said Commissioner Tony Luna. “That (property behind the police department) would be a perfect place for a welcome center, mayor’s office, or chamber office. You sell them (properties) to buy a fire truck in five years we will be replacing that fire truck,” said Luna.
“We don’t replace fire trucks every five years,” replied Commissioner Green.
“We also have other places we could move the chamber of commerce,” Green continued.” We haven’t figured out yet what to do with the old jail when we move out of it. Or if we do wind up building courtrooms, at some point where we build the jail, then we could move the chamber of commerce back into the courthouse where she was before,” said Green.
“I thought the whole point of moving all that out (of courthouse) was for (courthouse) security,” Luna responded.
“If we move the courtrooms out (of courthouse) then there is not that need for courtroom security,” Green said.
Commissioner Jeff Barnes then asked, “What if the jail goes back where it’s at?’
“Then we will leave the chamber where they are at”, replied Green. “I don’t think we can afford to build another building in the next five years,” he added.
“If you’re going to hire a building inspector, where are they going to go? And If we ever go to centralized accounting, where are they going to go,” asked Commissioner Barnes.
“The piece of property behind the police department is not big enough to build a building to house everything,” said Commissioner Green.
“We figured it would house three offices when it was purchased,” Barnes responded.
“I have to agree with Tony they just don’t produce land every day and its (land) not going to get any cheaper anytime soon either,” said Commissioner Greg Matthews.
“We have struggled particularly over the last year with funding things at the courthouse and with the jail. The idea that anybody thinks that there is going to be money for building something else in this county at any time in the foreseeable future to me, I don’t see it. That piece of property is just going to set there,” said Commissioner Tom Chandler.
“And we could use the revenue,” added Commissioner Green.
“I don’t think we need to get into whether it (funds from property sale) would be used for a fire engine or whatever it is. The question to me is could the county use that piece of property and if it were worth a half million dollars could the county use that money. Do we have any viable near-term use for that piece of property,” said Commissioner Chandler.
If the county votes to sell one or both properties, as recommended by the committee, County Mayor Adcock said funds will first be used to conduct appraisals of the sites.
Meanwhile Commissioner Mathias Anderson discussed what a building inspection fee system might look like based on the recommendation of the revenue research committee.
“My fear was that this might be taken as we would be implementing a bunch of new rules for something that has to be inspected. That is not the case,” said Commissioner Anderson. “In 2008 we decided not to have a building inspector but now we have a lot of new construction, and we will continue to. The idea was to look into it more, get more numbers on how many new homes and businesses are being built and instead of those builders having to reach out to the state for all the different inspections we would have someone here do that. Instead of the money (for inspections) going to the state it would stay here. We could calculate and see if the revenue would be more than the salary (for the inspector). If so, it might be worth doing. We’re talking about permits for like electrical inspection, plumbing inspections, etc.,” he said.
“We have discussed building permits in the past but after a certain year if your county did not have a building permit structure set up you were not allowed to have it unless your county has a (certain) percent growth year over year for three years in a row then you could implement a building permit fee structure but I checked last spring and as of right now we are not quite there,” said Commissioner Anderson.
The county commission meeting will be Monday night, February 24 at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the county complex.
Tigers Advance, Lady Tigers Eliminated from District Tournament
February 22, 2025
By: Dwayne Page
The DCHS Tigers will advance in the District 7AAA basketball tournament after eliminating White County (#3 seed) Friday night 55 to 50 at Cumberland County High School in Crossville. The season ended for the Lady Tigers (6-23) as they lost to the Cumberland County Lady Jets 60 to 26.
The Tigers (#6 seed) will meet Stone Memorial (#2 seed) tonight (Saturday, February 22) in the second round of the District Tournament starting at 5:30 p.m. WJLE will have LIVE coverage.
In the boys game Friday night White County led 13 to 7 after the 1st period. The game was tied at 24 by halftime. The Tigers pulled ahead 35 to 31 after the 3rd period and went onto upset the Warriors 55 to 50.
Trip Pinion for White County, the district’s Defensive MVP, left the game in the 4th period with an injury.
For the Tigers, Dallas Kirby scored 16, Jordan Parker 11. Seth Fuson 10, Porter Hancock and Jon Hendrix each with 6, Elliot Barnes 4, and Logan Duke 2.
The Tigers improve to 10-19
The Lady Tigers proved no match for Cumberland County trailing 18 to 3 after the 1st period, 41 to 11 at halftime, and 55 to 21 after the 3rd period before losing 60 to 26.
For DC, Avery Agee 9, Jordyn Agee 6, Chloe VanVranken 5, Allie Melton 3, Camille Barton 2, and Lillie Young 1.
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