A rock crusher operates at the Yacolt Mountain Quarry. The county council agreed to change an adjacent piece of land’s zoning to allow for storage of dirt from the quarry. (Nathan Howard/The Columbian)
Clark County wants to know what you think about surface mining and its effects on nearby residents.
The county launched an online survey Monday that asks a dozen questions about noise, blasting, dust, vibration, truck traffic, and the potential for landslides and water contamination.
For years, the county has been hammered by residents angry over the operations of several mines, including Yacolt Mountain Quarry and Livingston Mountain Quarry.
Livingston Mountain presents a different set of challenges because the county has a 20-year lease for the site from the Washington State Department of Wildlife that expires in 2027. The county subleases the site to Tower Rock Products, a subsidiary of Tapani Inc., which contracts with J.L. Storedahl & Sons Inc. to operate the quarry.
According to a Clark County news release, the county established the Surface Mining Advisory Committee to provide a facilitated forum for quarry operators and nearby residents to:
• Review and discuss outcomes and objectives of local, state or federal permitting and enforcement actions related to the mine operations.
• Propose and develop mutually agreeable solutions to effectively resolve matters related to traffic, noise, trip counts, and other operational and environmental concerns.
• Build and sustain mutual trust and beneficial relationships through robust, timely communications between mine operators, neighbors and local governments.
Yacolt Mountain Quarry was the focus of the committee’s first two meetings on March 22 and April 11. Audio recordings of those meetings are available on the committee’s webpage.
“This is not a process designed to yield regulations,” Mitch Nickolds, Clark County community development director, said at the start of the March 22 meeting. “It’s designed to yield ideas, and we are looking forward to hearing from you.”
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