On Monday evening, the PA Department of Environmental Protection held its second hearing on Heidelberg Materials Northeast, LLC's request to modify its permit at the Perkiomenville quarry.

            After the first meeting in March, Heidelberg Materials made changes to its request for post-mining land use from industrial/commercial land use to unmanaged natural habitat, triggering another review. Since the quarry's inception, the understanding among local residents was that, once the quarry is no longer mined, it would be filled with water.

            During this week's formal DEP hearing, several residents blasted Heidelberg Materials for its plan and the possible repercussions for the area.

            Long-time resident Dulcie Flaharty, who has a background in conservation with Natural Lands and with the Montgomery County Planning Commission, spoke about her concerns for the area's water quality now and when reclamation begins.

            "This is an area that is very special and we should work very hard to keep it that way," said Flaharty. She noted that most of the area has private wells and the source of those wells can not always be determined.

            "When you have a quarry that is letting water out into the aquifer, what you put into it is as important as what you take out of it."

            Flaharty questioned how extensively the water flow from the quarry is being monitored.

            "I ask DEP to be very, very careful about what you do with this water."

            Sumneytown resident Marya Schoenholtz, a frequent critic of the quarry, said, "I have not heard a single reason why reclamation fill provides any benefit to anyone other than Heidelberg Materials."

            While Heidelberg Materials has pitched the benefits of creating open space, Schoenholtz maintained that more open space is not needed in the township.

            "This is a company that has shown they cannot be trusted," added Schoenholtz, citing environmental conditions, such as dust, created by routine quarry use, and citing DEP judgments and lawsuits filed nationwide against Heidelberg Materials.

            Schoenholtz pointed out that Heidelberg Materials' apparent lack of concern for the environment does not bode well for the Unami and lands recommended for protection by Natural Lands.

            "They didn't even properly complete their DEP application."

            She implored the DEP to reject the change in the permit application and "hold Heidelberg to the original Impoundment plan."

            At March's meeting, Heidelberg's attorney, Stephen Harris, stated that Heidelberg has no plans for commercial/industrial use of the property once mining ceases and claimed that reclamation is an active mining use of the quarry, meaning that the township has no say in the reclamation process.

            Heidelberg was not represented at this meeting.