Products of our Stone crusher operation approved
Advertisement "But it appears to me that the local government has done what they could do and this business has not done anything untoward," she said this week.
The state said it received no comments or objections from Bristol Township during the 30-day comment period for the application. But township Manager Jeff Bartlett said the community had tried to prevent the stone crusher operation.
"The township originally sent comments to the DEP verifying what the property was zoned," Bartlett said. "We also raised concern that residents in the area felt the crusher would cause air pollution."
The Bristol Township Zoning Board unanimously denied DeNucci's application for a crusher in 2009. But that decision was overturned in Bucks County Court.
"The township had already raised a legal defense at the county level and lost," Bartlett said. "Typically, local zoning decisions that are overturned at the county level are rarely overturned again at the state level."
Residents Madeline Husar, Roseanne Monachello Rose and Lawrence Straka said Tuesday they believe the township could have done more.
Husar lives about 200 yards from the DeNucci property and questioned whether local and state officials would effectively monitor the site. "Who's going to police this?" she asked. "Who will be watching over?"
Rose, who lives next door to DeNucci Excavating, said she worries that operations there will shake her house.
DeNucci's permit requires the company to monitor and record odors and visible emissions in a daily permanent log for DEP review. Every hour of operations, the company must perform a "panoramic observation of the overall facility" and any discovered equipment malfunction must be reported to the state within two hours.
The DEP said it reserves the right to monitor the property and inspect company records. But the agency said noise or vibration complaints should be made to the township.
Lawrence Straka lives about 1.5 miles from the DeNucci property but said he is no less concerned about the impact on the community. "People who come to Bucks County don't want to be greeted by a bunch of trucks," Straka said. "This thing is too close to a desirable commercial area and many homes."
