Cemex seeks new quarry close to Yellow Springs
- Published: June 16, 2011
The cement company Cemex, located just outside of Fairborn on Dayton-Yellow Springs Road, is seeking a rezoning of land that it owns just south and west of Yellow Springs, in order to build a new quarry to extract raw material for the business.
The rezoning hearing will take place tonight, Thursday, June 16, at 6 p.m. at the office of the Xenia Township Zoning Commission, which is located at 8 Brush Row Road in Xenia. If successful, the zoning would be changed from agricultural (the land is currently used for farming corn and soybeans) to mining.
At issue is a 289-acre plat of land located east of State Route 235, south of Hyde Road and west of West Enon Road. According to the rezoning application from the company, the new mining operation would begin in 2019 in the southwest part of the property, then proceed east, then north.
Several neighbors of the land plan to attend the June 16 meeting to protest the rezoning, citing concerns about a host of issues, including increased noise and dust on their property, along with possible harmful environmental effects. Neighbor Pete Walsh cited this year’s EPA fining of Cemex $1.4 million for violations to the Clean Air Act at its Fairborn plant as evidence of the company’s past environmental negligence. The EPA action included the requirement that Cemex spend $2 million on new controls and monitoring systems at its plant to reduce emissions of pollutants including nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide.
Members of the Green Environmental Coalition have also raised concerns over the proposed rezoning, regarding concerns over effects of mining on the water table and wildlife habitat.
According to a Cemex spokesperson, the new project would involve mining only and there would be no cement manufacturing, the cause of the previous environmental issues, on the site. The spokesperson, Cemex Director of Communications Sara Engdahl, said that the company plans to abide by Xenia Township noise regulations and that work will take place only during daylight hours. The company also plans to construct a new bypass around State Road 235 to avoid using public roads to transport its raw materials.
For a more detailed article on the Cemex rezoning request, see the June 16 issue of the News.
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If you have ANY questions or concerns, PLEASE join us at the meeting tonight…once this is done, it’s done, folks, and the impact on our housing values and the ENVIRONMENT could be really scary. BE THERE!