Scandia: Prep work to start at controversial mining site

Source: Pioneer Press, St.儲存倉 Paul, Minn.Sept. 04--Crews from Tiller Corp. this week will begin initial site work on a controversial mining and reclamation project along the St. Croix River in Scandia.Tiller, based in Maple Grove, plans to extract up to 1.2 million tons of gravel from the 114-acre site, owned by Jim Zavoral, over a period of a little more than three years. The property, which hasn't been mined since the 1980s, is just east of the intersection of Minnesota highways 95 and 97.One of the first projects will be installation of a silt fence, designed to control and manage stormwater, said Jess Myers, a spokesman for Tiller."An important part of the project is responding to concerns about water quality and potential runoff," he said. "Tiller is working to manage stormwater and ensure water quality in the area."Other initial prep work will include preliminary grading and the clearing and transplanting of vegetation, Myers said.Mining won't start until a new entrance to the Zavoral site is built directly across from Minnesota 97, just south of the current entrance. Crews also must build a new right-turn lane on northbound Minnesota 95, city administrator Kristina Handt said.Despite objections from residents, environmental groups and the planning commission's rec迷你倉價錢mmendation that they be denied, the Scandia City Council voted 5-0 in February to approve a conditional-use permit and annual operating permit applications.Once permits are in place, Tiller has 3.3 years to mine the site, under the terms of the conditional-use permit, Handt said.The majority of the gravel taken from the site will be transported to a facility in Scandia for processing. Some of the material, however, will go directly to local construction projects, according to Tiller officials.After the site has been mined, Tiller plans an extensive reclamation of the site, including establishing prairie grasses and woodlands, "which will provide important habitat for the area and a higher diversity of plant communities that does not exist at the site today," according to a press release from Tiller.The hours of operation and hauling will be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays, excluding federal holidays."It's been pretty quiet," Handt said. "Folks just want it to hurry up and get done."Mary Divine can be reached at 651-228-5443. Follow her at twitter.com/MaryEDivine.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 the Pioneer Press (St. Paul, Minn.) Visit the Pioneer Press (St. Paul, Minn.) at .twincities.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉