Environmental Assessments & Permitting for 3M Company

Beginning in 2013, ECT has supported the proposed extension of the 3M Company (3M) Pittsboro Mine in Moncure, North Carolina, by securing the necessary permits associated with this expansion. The proposed extension required an environmental assessment of up to 800 acres. The expansion will occur entirely within the approximately 2,200-acre footprint of 3M’s property.

Current operations at the Pittsboro Mine involve extracting a green-colored andesite mineral from the quarry, crushing, and processing it for use in the roofing industry. Overburden and off-specification rock, considered unsuitable for commercial use, are stored in stockpiles onsite. The proposed extension includes expanding the quarry by approximately 180 acres to the north and extending the fines stockpile by approximately 174 acres to the east and north of the existing fines storage area.

In addition, ECT will submit 404/401 applications to USACE and DWR.

To date, ECT has provided 3M with numerous services:

• Hosted numerous meetings on behalf of 3M with the governing agencies, including the North Carolina Division of Water Resources (DWR); North Carolina Department of Energy, Minerals, and Land Resources; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and Chatham County.
• Deployed several wetland delineation teams that concurrently assessed threatened and endangered (T/E) species’ critical habitat.
• Based on the field assessments, assisted 3M with designing the layout of the mine expansion.
• Oversaw a cultural resources survey conducted by a subcontractor.
• Oversaw the development of a subsurface study to design wet detention ponds.
• Developed an alternatives analysis, consistent with National Environmental Policy Act guidelines, as part of the wetland permitting process.
• Conducted nutrient modeling, as required by DWR.
• Secured a buffer impact variance from Chatham County.
• Developed a stormwater management plan and operations and maintenance plan for the facility, and secured a stormwater permit from Chatham County.
• Submitted a mine permit modification application.