BRADFORD COUNTY, Pa. — “We need the trees to breathe, we need to save our mountain, Thank you”. Said Athens Township resident Kristine Litleer. Pollution and dust were some of the concerns residents say is all thanks to a controversial gravel and sand mine looking to set up shop in Athens Township.
The Department of Environmental Protection held a final hearing at Athens Area High School Tuesday night where township residents and even members of Lenape tribes came to say there is no need to open Minard Mine, a 350-acre piece of land located on the southeast side of the Chemung River.
“If we're going to build something, let's build an environment that is healthy. Let's build an environment that is not filled with pollution or noise”. Said Samuel Savon, a member of the Lenape Tribe.
“I understand aggregate is important to the production of a nation and the production of a community, and so are good jobs, but so is clean air and the safety of our children are important.” Said J.C. Christiansen of Athens Township.
For three years, Bishop Brothers Construction out of Towanda has been acquiring permits to lease the farmland that the company says holds rock material sought for large-scale construction projects.
“Well, it's going to benefit the area because of all the aggregates that our local municipalities and contractors need.” Said Dustin Bishop, Vice President of Bishop Brothers.
Bishop says his company owns several other mines similar to the one proposed.
He listened to many of the complaints and said being someone who grew up in the township, he would never do anything to destroy it.
“So we've been working on this for a little over three years doing our due diligence to get through the process The right way to causes as little of an impact on the local resident as possible,” he said.
According to Bishop, a mining permit from the Department of Environmental Protection is the last thing his company needs in order to start working on the Minard Mine.
DEP officials say it could be more than a month before a decision is made.
Concern over mine proposal in Bradford County
Residents spoke up at a meeting Tuesday night about the Minard Mine project, which they say could have large-scale environmental impacts.