Proposed Franklin County quarry is temporarily shelved

                                                                                                                                       Photo from NC Geological Survey

Carolina Sunrock, LLC has pulled its application for a special use permit needed to develop a rock quarry in Franklin County. The news comes two weeks prior to a scheduled public hearing where the Franklin County Commissioners would have had to vote in favor or against issuing the permit. If granted, the company would have then been required to obtain state permits from the Division of Land Resource, Division of Water Quality, and most likely other state or federal resource agencies. It is unclear as to why the company decided to withdraw its request. Strong opposition had organized in Franklin County to fight the mine.                                                                          

The proposed mine, would have been the fourth for Carolina Sunrock who currently owns active mines in Person, Vance and Granville County. The location of the Franklin County mine would have been north-west of Louisburg, within the Bear Creek Swamp watershed. The mine could have impacted Bear Creek Swamp as the main-stem and a tributary run through the proposed mine site. Furthermore, Bear Creek Swamp drains to the Tar River directly upstream of the drinking water intake for the City of Louisburg.

According to the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program (NHP), the lower portions of Bear Swamp Creek are included in the NHP's nationally significant Middle Tar River Aquatic Habitat, and there are recent records for the federal species of concern Atlantic pigtoe (a freshwater mussel) inhabiting the lower reaches of Bear Swamp Creek. Furthermore, downstream of the confluence of Bear Swamp Creek and the Tar River, we have records of the federal species of concern Carolina madtom (fish), and the significantly rare Roanoke bass (fish) and a rare mayfly.

A Significant Natural Heritage Area (SNHA) is an area of land or water identified by the NHP as being important for conservation of the State's biodiversity. SNHAs contain one or more Natural Heritage elements - high-quality or rare natural communities, rare species, and special animal habitats. A nationally significant designation means that this site is one of the five best examples of that community type in the nation.

PTRF staff were investigating the proposal and the environmental compliance record of the company. The Vance County mine is located directly adjacent to the Tar River along Highway 1. Staff will continue to investigate and compile information to be prepared for a re-submittal of the special use permit application by the company.

For media related to the quarry, please visit www.thefranklintimes.com and search "Carolina Sunrock" (you may need to complete a free registration to view articles).

Information on the Proposed mine can be found at the Franklin County's Planning Department webpage.