New plant proposed at the Oconee Rock Quarry

Oconee County is pursuing a project to increase the capacity of its stone plant at the county Rock Quarry near Walhalla. The estimated cost is $5.7 million dollars, and the money is in the budget, according to Rick Martin, director of the rock quarry. The existing plant has the capability to produce 500 tons of crushed stone an hour. The expansion would increase the capability to 830 tons an hour. Two of Martin’s employees—Tom Moxley and Billy Buchanan—have just returned from a trip to Sweden to inspect a plant of this type. And, according to Martin, they liked what they saw. In the project to install the new plant and de-commission the existing one, South Carolina DHEC says the quarry has applied for an air construction permit. According to DHEC, emissions generated by the new plant would include, among other materials, the chemical sulfur dioxide and the gas nitrogen oxide. The state’s environmental agency has opened a one-month notice that allows members of the public to comment as part of the process to approve, disapprove or change the draft permit.