JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
The Tennessee Department of Environmental & Conservation (TDEC) recently held a public hearing at the Princess Theatre in South Pittsburg to discuss the possible passing of a permit regarding a newly established quarry to be located in Sewanee.
The quarry in question is to be owned and managed by Tinsley Sand & Gravel LLC, a major gravel supplier owned under Tinsley Asphalt, a major asphalt manufacturer from Middle Tennessee. During the public hearing, a presentation was shown that further explained where the site would be located, as well as the environmental permit that is to be presented. The site is planned to be situated on a 79.4-acre lot near 18546 South Pittsburg Mountain Road and will house numerous watersheds for supplying the quarry, all of which would be supplied by rainwater.
“The main source of water is rain and that’s really all there is to it, you know. As they mine, they’re digging bowls in the ground,” explained Daniel Lawrence, Mining Section Program Manager for TDEC. As for the permit itself, it is what’s known as a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Permit (NPDES), a permit that regulates water quality and usage for an industrial project and facility within a given area to ensure that used water is properly disposed of and stored without damaging the natural environment of the surrounding area.
“So, there’s so many permits that are associated with the proposed facility, and this is just one of those other permits,” stated Meghan Ploch, Regional Director of External Affairs for TDEC. The permit also requires proper inspection and monitoring of the quality of water that would be used for deposition within the quarry itself, assuring that the associated facility is regularly inspected for proper usage of said water source within the site itself.
During the formal aspect of the hearing, many residents of Marion County, including those from Sewanee and from the University of The South have expressed great concern over the possible approval of the site, with many protesting against the quarry’s establishment within the area. Many feared that the quarry would, regardless of the permit, cause a great deal of damage to the natural environment, especially to the water quality of underground wells and even to Jumpoff Creek, a small body of water directly by the site of the quarry that even by TDEC is 
approved for as a biodiverse body of water. One teeming with local flora and fauna.
“The Southern Cumberland Plateau is one of the most biodiverse areas in the entire country. It includes federally endangered and threatened species, as outlined by my colleague Adam Hughes. More than 1,500 vascular plants are documented in the region, and 18 species are listed as protected.” noted Paige Schneider, professor from the University of the South and resident of Sewanee. She further added details about how vital Jumpoff Creek is to the area for both the community, as well as to the environment itself, and on how a lack of proper inspection and even overall distribution of pollutants and wastewater could negatively affect a creek that is teeming with biodiverse life.
Other concerns raised were about Tinsley itself, in which it was stated that the company has failed several times before to comply with state regulations and environmental laws, ones that even TDEC themselves comply for in state law. All additional questions or concerns needed to be shared can be submitted to TDEC via email at DMRG.PublicNotice@tn.gov, as well as written and mailed to 3711 MiddleBrook Pike, Knoxville, TN, 37921.
