Blasting resumes at Swampscott quarry

SWAMPSCOTT – Aggregate Industries resumed blasting Monday after a year and a half and, Tuesday night, Selectmen gave them permission to continue operations for the next year.”They blasted (Monday) at 12 p.m.,” reported Earth Removal Advisory Committee member Gene Barden. “They’ve been meeting regularly with us and have also been talking about a closure plan? but they don’t expect a close for 50 to 60 years.”The town enacted a bylaw in 1994 that required a permit for any business or individuals removing over 600 cubic yards of earth. The bylaw established the Earth Removal Advisory Committee to make a recommendation on each permit. Aggregate Industries, which owns 210 acres including the 160-acre quarry on Danvers Road, has applied for that permit each June even after stopping its local operations in January 2010 due to the poor economy. Quarry Manager Steve Simas said that the business has records from the site that go back over 120 years.Tuesday evening, Selectmen unanimously approved the business’ July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012 permit after Barden reported that the earth removal committee had “no concerns.”Barden noted that the only change in this year’s permit is that the company will inspect its fences once every month – when it coincides with inspections at other quarry sites, said Simas – rather than once every three weeks. There will be no blasting on summer nights, as in the previous two years, due to concerns of neighbors.Nevertheless, Regional Environmental Land Services Manager Scott Colby said that the business will begin establishing a “framework” for a closure plan with the town and the city of Salem.”The stone has tremendous value and we’re not going to walk away from our lifeblood,” he assured Selectmen. “But I try to suggest a framework”, noting that it was difficult to visualize a site 60 years into the future considering changing technology and needs.Selectmen also approved the Traffic Study Committee’s recommendations to install a permanent traffic island at the intersection of Elmwood Road and Paradise Road and add parking for Phillips Beach along Shepherd Road. Director of Public Works Gino Cresta estimated a $5,000 cost and a fall completion date.Selectmen also approved parking along the ocean side of Shephard Avenue between the Phillips Beach access and the crosswalk. Neighbors Paul and Sheryl Levenson cited concerns that the spaces would worsen an already-congested and dangerous street. But selectmen voted unanimously for the parking – which Cresta said would accommodate seven cars n but not an additional two spaces.