Tarmac officials visit Cedar Key

Cedar Key Beacon – Published Nov. 20, 2010


By Ada Lang

Officials of Tarmac King Road Mine company met with representatives of Cedar Key's clamming industry on Monday afternoon at the Marine Lab to discuss water quality issues.

Tarmac requested this meeting to address concerns raised at a previous meeting in Cedar Key. Al Townsend, director of real estate and environmental services, and Jeff Harris, plant manager for the mine near Inglis, were accompanied by two consulting hydrologists.

Leslie Sturmer, UF/IFAS Shellfish Aquaculture Extension Agent; City Commissioner Sue Colson, former Suwannee River Water Management District board member and project coordinator for the Cedar Key Aquaculture Association, and Interim City Administrator Greg Lang of Cedar Key met with the group. The Cedar Key representatives began by telling Tarmac something they have heard before — the economic impact the clamming industry has locally and nationally.

The primary concern of the Cedar Key group is what affect the series of freshwater lakes left by the mining will have on the water quality in the Gulf of Mexico — which is only three miles from the site — as the crow flies. The lakes will not be lined, and the porous nature of the rock below leaves concerns over leaching into the aquifer, ground water and ultimately the Gulf of Mexico. The freshwater could have a negative impact on the salinity, turbidity and phytoplankton communities that are vital for healthy clam growth.

Tarmac officials said berms will be built around the lakes to ensure that surface contamination does not make its way into the rock, which is used primarily in construction. The area will be mined at the rate of 25 acres per year and 12 acres per year will be restored to its natural state.

Company officials also indicated that it will be one of the greenest quarries ever — no diesel trucks will be used onsite — thereby cutting carbon emissions and pollution. Instead, the rock will be transported on conveyor belts and only native vegetation will be planted during the restoration process.

There will be test wells at the actual mine site, however Sturmer and Colson made clear that baseline water quality data needs to be established and that Tarmac needs to plan for additional sampling in the Gulf waters as the project continues. The meeting ended with a consensus that additional water sampling and dialogue are needed.

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