Aggregate Industries reopens shuttered Swampscott quarry

SWAMPSCOTT – Aggregate Industries U.S. announced Wednesday that it has reopened the Swampscott quarry after more than a year-and-a-half of closure.”It’s really good news ,” said Aggregate’s Regional Environmental Land Services Manager Scott Colby. “We’re certainly happy to be producing stone and happy to be putting people back to work. It’s a good thing.”Aggregate Industries closed the 160-acre quarry for hard rock and on Danvers Road at the end of 2009 as a result of the economic downturn, according to a press release issued by the company. Since then, however, the business has renewed its Earth Removal Advisory permit n required by the town since 1994 for any business or individual removing more than 600 cubic yards of earth n each June. When renewing the permit, quarry representatives told selectmen the quarry had just completed its first blast since 2009 and planned to fully reopen later in the summer.The quarry has been ramping up operations since then, company spokesperson Robin DeCarlo said, but Wednesday was the quarry’s official reopening, restoring approximately 15 jobs.”We’re happy to be back in operation after having to put the quarry in a ?mothball status’ for a short period of time,” DeCarlo said. “I think that coming back into the community and being able to service our customers with a high quality product produced locally, is a good thing.”Earth Removal Advisory Committee Chairman Gene Barden said he was pleased to see the quarry open for business. He said that the quarry and advisory committee have collaborated on how to mitigate the quarry’s impact on neighbors. Blasting has been limited to certain hours during the summer, Barden said. The quarry also built a new entrance on Danvers Road that reroutes trucks away from Essex Street.”We don’t like to see anything closed and people out of work,” Barden said. “If it’s open, there’s business to be done. We’re pleased that its open and they’re in a position with all the regulations we’ve put in, to be open ? It was give-and-take and I think they are very good neighbors.”Selectman David Van Dam echoed Barden’s comments.”I’m happy to see them open and starting to do business again,” Van Dam said. “That’s a good indication that the economy’s moving in the right direction with construction and roadwork, and in addition, (I’m happy) that they are staying in compliance with the rules and regulations established by the committee.”