A Petition for EPA to take over from state

The Sierra Club and other groups have petitioned the Federal EPA to take over the NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permitting process currently administered by the West Virginia Department of Environment Protection.  Claiming that West Virginia management of the NPDES program is failing to carry out the intention of the act, the petition asks that the EPA take the program back over.

Read about it at wvgazette.com

Click here for copy of petition

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Public Comment Period Slides

It appears the public comment period related to the application to operate a quarry mine on North Mountain at Gerrardstown is not going to happen this spring as last information indicated.  It is now expected to happen this summer.  North Mountain Shale, LLC and Continental Brick Company continue to change and adjust their application submitted to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) in an effort to get past the objections of CARE.

 CARE continues the effort to stop any mining at all on North Mountain at Gerrardstown.  We will continue to track North Mountain Shale's efforts.

Thank You all for your support and efforts in protecting our environment.

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Apple Chapel Opening

Kevin Sarring's project of restoring the historic Methodist Church in Gerrardstown on Dominion Road is finished.  A turn out of community and history buffs gathered Sunday, May 31st at an open house and was well attended.  The church has been named "Apple Chapel" in recognition of the numerous apple orchards in southern Berkeley County.  CARE hosted the event with Kevin and numerous Gerrardstown citizens, including Eliza Burton and Trudy Slater.

click here for photographs by Artist Annemarie Collins of the afternoon

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Berkeley County Commission Resolution

The Berkeley County Commission adopted a resolution against quarry operation in the historic Gerrardstown area.  CARE presented a modified version of the resolution to the county commissioners at their  May 28th meeting. One more level of support in CARE's efforts to preserve the total North Mountain environment. Click on link below for endorsed resolution text.

click here for The Journal news article 

click here for The Herald Mail article

click here for adopted resolution

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"West Virginia Mountains Need a Voice"

 Read Barb Miller's article in May 5th edition of The Journal about the mountains of West Virginia.  A thoughtful article about our environment and life style in southern Berkeley County and the village of historic Gerrardstown.  CARE was organized to give voice to the thousands of citizens who protest the lack of political strength and support to our environment.  While this remains our main concern at the moment, perhaps it is time to also make note of those elected political individuals who do not support this concern and remember them at the next election.

The protection of West Virginia's environmental assets is possible.  The laws exist today.  They could be made stronger.  All it takes is the political strength and will.  If those in the positions to exercise this strength and will are not willing to do so, perhaps we can work at putting people into those positions who will. 

 click for Journal Article

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Water, one of resources we hope to save

 Just one stream's water flow from North Mountain

One stream immediately next to purposed quarry site feeds this Prospect Hill Farm pond and dam overflow runs into Mill Creek.  These water sources will be damaged by shale surface mining on North Mountain.

Video of bulldozer and stream activity

Video of initial widening  of ATV trail and disruption of springs.  Visual evidence of what will happen with water if a surface mining operation is allowed.

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HELP TO SAVE NORTH MOUNTAIN!

The sickening prospect of a quarrying operation in the historic residential village of Gerrardstown  has become a reality if we all do not act on this potential threat to our community on both sides of North Mountain and surrounding homes, farms and schools.

Tell your neighbors, co-workers, bosses and EVERYONE YOU KNOW!!  

We need EVERYONE’S help in fighting this nightmare.

Please join us today to save Gerrardstown and the surrounding

communities for tomorrow.

We CARE. Do YOU???

 CHECK THE "ABOUT US" PAGE

  CLICK ON ICON ON MENU FOR MORE INFORMATION

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 Petition Grows

Citizens concerned about the environment from far and wide have watched CARE's presentation about the proposed quarry to be placed in the Gerrardstown area of Southern Berkeley County.  Preparations for the approaching public comment period for the North Mountain Shale, LLC application before the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection are being discussed at length.

Many people signed on to help with the many activities involved in preventing this destruction of mountainside on North Mountain.

Many volunteers are helping with the current petition that will be submitted when the public hearing is scheduled.  If you want to help with that task, click on the link below to obtain a copy of the petition form to reproduce.

Thanks to all for your help, work, encouragement and help!

click here for blank petition forms

Completed forms can be mailed to the address at the bottom of the form or let us know if other arrangements for pick up is needed.

email site moderator

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 The Herald-Mail Coverage of Commissioner's Meeting

The Herald-Mail had a reporter at Berkeley County Commissioner's meeting and reported on CARE resolution presented to the commissioners for support.

Click here for full article

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We are about preventing this at Gerrardstown

North Mountain becoming a stripped ugly muddy vision destroying the value and peace of our town for years if not decades, as well as ruining the natural springs and water supply to the area

National Trust for Historic Preservation Support

Additional support in the effort to preserve the Gerrardstown area has come from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  CARE representatives visited the Washington DC offices of the Trust to discuss the impending effect of the purposed quarry.  The National Trust has sent a letter of support to Secretary Randy Huffman, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.

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 Quarry ApplicationAdditional water testing sites added in effort to get quarry permit.  Active quarry area also modified in an effort to have application to mine approved.  CARE continues to point out that this is still just a piece of the total property and it's impact on the surrounding community.  Citizens objections remain: a commercial quarry operation should not be allowed in the historic Gerrardstown area.

link to full size larger map

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Additional activity by SHPO with permit process recently (December 2008).  Check out STATUS TODAY from menu to the left

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Link below to the West Virginia Record  news article:

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CARE meets with WVDEP Officials

 CARE committee met with West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection officials at historic Prospect Hill farm Friday, November 07, 2008.  Mr. Randy Huffman, WVDEP Cabinet Secretary, Mr. Tom Clarke, Director Division of Mining and Reclamation and Mr. Dwight Given, Assistant Director, Philippi Office arrived in Gerrardstown via helicopter and visited Prospect Hill, one of the many historic homes in Gerrardstown, WV.

A committee from CARE discussed the issues of the pending quarry permit application with a power point graphic presentation.  The discussion touched on the five major points that CARE is concerned about:  Drinking Water, Property Values, History, Health and Safety.  The current permit application is undergoing review and will probably not be complete until the spring of 2009.  At that time, a public comment period will open for 30 days to allow citizen input to consider in the permit process.

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News Article Published in ONEARTH Publication

Article published about CARE's efforts in stopping the destruction of forests on North Mountian.  Onearth is a independent publication  of the National Resources Defense Council.

"Quarry Planned in Watershed"

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Don't understand or know what is going on with the mining application?

 Check the STATUS TODAY page.  You can just click on the words to get there fast.  In addition there is a link to the WVDEP web tracking record showing the events being processed.

area mining application covers

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Comments on Gerrardstown Bridge Replacement

"The WVDOH is replacing the Gerrardstown Bridge in the 

historic district.  The new bridge is designed to to match the 

stone on the Gerrards House.  We were told to see if 

your group wanted to comment on the project.  

Thank you very much for your time."

The message above has been received at this 

website from Ms. Sondra Mullins of the West Virginia 

Department of Transportation.  A response was sent to her 

that we were interested in seeing the design of the bridge 

as well as the dates expected to be done. 

Her contact information as of now is: 

Name: Sondra Mullins
Company: WVDOT
Email: Sondra.L.Mullins@wv.gov
Phone: 304-558-9487

The bridge project has already received approval from the 

Berkeley County Historical Society as a nice addition

 to the historic district taking into account the historic 

properties in the district.  This project is scheduled for 

construction in the Spring of 2009, as long as approval is soon.

Style of Bridge
 

Technical specifications and larger picture of bridge design - click for photo album 

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Trolley Tour Comes To Gerrardstown

Trolley tour of selected properties in historic Gerrardstown was greeted by residents.  One of Berkeley County Historical Society’s popular Trolley Tours came to Gerrardstown to view the Oben Hall home and the restoration project of the southern Methodist Church Saturday morning, October 4^th.    Local residents took the opportunity to express their opposition to Continental Brick and North Mountain Shale companies plans to open a surface mine.  A mining permit before the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection is undergoing review to allow shale mining on North Mountain directly behind the historic town of Gerrardstown.  The historic Oben Hall home is included in the area to be mined.

 More photos in photo album

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Comment Period Draws Near

Community comment input has a great deal of weight in the decision to either grant or not grant a quarry permit in Gerrardstown.

If you want to be notified when the 30 day comment period is started, send email to us and we will notified you. 

 click here to send email to request notice

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Check out the Links section

Direct links to the many organizations and groups who are helping protect the environment.   The Journal newspaper and other sources of information about protecting our land and water.  A new link just added to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, a group active in protecting the Bay and the rivers and streams flowing to it.

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A Destructive Plan in the middle of new and century old historic homes and farms.  We will do everything in our power to stop it.  To keep up with the current status check tab "Status Today" 

The area affect by the property bought by Continental Brick Company and leased to North Mountain Shale, LLC for surface mining of shale.

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NEW FEATURE - MORE PHOTOS

A new feature has been added to allow more photographs by popular demand.  A photo album is now available with more extensive photographs.  Multiple links to the album will be throughout this web site.  This has just been added so it will grow as time goes along.

Click here to see the photo album 

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Berkeley County Growth Management

The Berkeley County Planning Commission's 2006 growth Management Map.  No industrial investment area is planned for the Gerrardstown area under this plan.

The State Journal publishes article about the quarry application.  One item in the article about 26 homes brought to their attention when in fact there are hundreds of homes affected.

Click here to read article 

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Residential & Farm Properties surrounding purposed

Quarry Site 

The high density of residential & farm properties that purposed quarry would be affecting in and around Gerrardstown.

Red Dots Indicate the Carr Farm property bought by Continental Brick Company that is leased to North Mountain Shale, LLC.

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A New Feature is being added

Zoom capability on certain maps and images that will allow you to enlarge sections of those documents.  The first is the Tax Map of Berkeley County  for the Gerrardstown area under the Pictures page of this site.  Others will follow with this feature.  Just right click on the map and select the zoom feature you want.

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 Governor Manchin Listens

 Monday, August 4th, Governor Manchin came to Martinsburg on business unrelated to the quarry project.  A small group of local citizens showed up with signs along his route to his meeting, reminding him of our issues with the destruction of North Mountain.

A unplanned meeting was arranged in his busy schedule for the group to sit down and talk to him about our issues with allowing a quarry to operate in the Gerrardstown area. 

An article appeared in The Journal Newspaper, Tuesday, August 5, 2008 with more details.  

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   NIMBY

Not In My Back Yard

And Gerrardstown means it! 

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Dump trucks using Destiny Lane already before any

permits or applications have been approved 

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The size of land involved with the quarry will overwhelm

the village of Gerrardstown and the surrounding communities. 

Destroying quality of life forever.

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Berkeley County of West Virginia. 

Located in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia,

North Mountain runs parallel to and west of Interstate 81. 

It is one of the many mountains in Wild and Wonderful West Virginia

that is home to many historical sites

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Stream fall from North Mountain into Back Creek 

 A quiet walk with the dog along Back Creek at foot of North Mountain

Glenwood Forest residents need to participate in writing letters to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection to protect their 3 drinking water wells 

Join the mailing list to find out how 

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North Mountain Shale files application to operate quarry, May 9, 2008 

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Protest at Continental Brick turns out citizens  May 10th

See OUR PROTEST under INFORMATION for more photographs 

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A community communications link where residents and others interested in preserving the land, water, air, forests and history can speak out about matters related to where we live

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Join our discussion group and get more information and find out what is going on!  Click on CONTACT US icon

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The information below relates to the withdrawn application and will be left on the site for reference for the time being:

Area Impacted 

 click on image to enlarge

 application form & some attachments

NOTE - This file is large & will take a few minutes to download

The North Mountain Shale Stormwater application is available on the information page for reference. 

The DEP application status is to the left.   

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Permit Hearings Guide

It is very important to read the West Virginia Permit & Hearings Guide.  Your comments, both mailed in & verbal at the hearing must be on target or they may be ineffective.  This file is large but important.  Be sure to read the comments section.

The Guide

The section of the Guide that is most important in submitting comments is the following extraction from the guide:

Submitting Comments

"When submitting your questions or comments on a proposed permit application, send them to the address in the notice and always include the application number and facility name."

"Include convincing statements of how the proposed application improves or degrades the environment (air, land or water), and complies with or violates state or federal regulations."

"Comments should be detailed but concise in describing why the permit should or should not be issued. Comments should be substantive with information to support your stance on the issue."

"If possible, include studies and federal guidance about how permits should West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection 3 Guide to permits and appeals be written. If you quote studies from a website or in standard research journals, provide the name and author of the study or send a copy of the actual study."

 "It is your responsibility to provide evidence during the public comment period, not later."

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We Care Do You? 

 Historic Mount Olive Church - Gerrardstown

The quarry is at their back door  

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