The Department of Environmental Protection will hold a public hearing on June 3 to take testimony from residents regarding the non-coal surface mining permit application of Geryville Materials, Inc. of Montgomery County, to construct a quarry operation in Lower Milford Township, Lehigh County.

The meeting will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Lower Milford Township Municipal Building, at 7607 Chestnut Hill Church Rd, in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania.

The company plans to build a 127.64-acre quarry on King’s Highway and West Mill Hill Road. In 2009, their original zoning application was denied by the township’s planning commission. However, in 2012, Commonwealth Court rejected the township’s decision and allowed plans for the facility to proceed.

“This is an opportunity for residents to provide feedback to the department regarding the proposed quarry operations,” DEP Pottsville District Mining Office Manager Mike Menghini said. “We encourage people to come out and share their opinions.”

The department received Gerryville’s original non-coal surface mining application on December 23, 2014. A public notice of the hearing was advertised in the Allentown Morning Call on Sunday, May 3, 2015.

The public comment period on the application began on December 26, 2014. Public comments on this must be received by 4 p.m. on July 3, 2015.

Members of the public will have an opportunity to provide testimony at the hearing. Those wishing to make comments should register, in writing, with Community Relations Coordinator Colleen Connolly, at DEP’s Northeastern Regional Office, by sending email to: coconnolly@pa.gov or by phone at 570-826-2035 before 3:00 p.m. on the day of the hearing. There will also be an opportunity to register on-site at the hearing.

Those unable to attend the hearing should submit written comments to Mike Kutney, P.G., Pottsville District Mining Office, 5 West Laurel Boulevard, Pottsville, PA 17901.

5/25/2015