Oppose the Expansion of the Hoffay Mine in Sand Lake NY

We live West Sand Lake and already have to deal with a significant amount of noise pollution from the equipment currently in operation. We cannot imagine how much more pollution this would create! What about the the layers and layers of dust already falling on our property, how much MORE dust will there be? How will this additional dust impact my children and my neighbor's children? Please stop this expansion, or at least require a EIS that we can all review.

This needs to stop! It's disrupting homes. I am having issues at my home, with Bonded's blastings.

Concerned for neighborhoods and environmental impact

Averill Park, Thais Rd: Mining is incredibly destructive to the environment. Destroying a large patch of plants, animals, and other organisms that live in the mined area hinders the success of native species and promotes the success of invasive species, which can tip our local ecosystem out of balance. Additionally, mining harms other nearby ecosystems though noise pollution, water pollution, and air pollution. This can disturb hunting, nesting, breeding, and other vital behaviors in species that are already disadvantaged by mining and other forms of human habitat destruction. Not to mention the impact it has on our local human communities!!! Even if we were to ignore environmental impacts (which we never should!), there is no denying that mining in our backyards is dangerous to our health. It creates noise pollution from blasting and large vehicles, water pollution from poor drainage and aquifer contamination, erosion caused by the removal of the topsoil and forest community, and reduction in air quality from removing the topsoil,, blasting, and disturbing the underlying earth. I understand that miners feel mine expansion is on their own property is their business, but if 'their business' comes at the cost of the health of the nearby communities--both animal and human--then the community should also have a say. And we say NO. Expanding the mine jeopardizes our forests, aquifers, air, health and well-being too much for it to be justified. Additionally, the expansion of the mine's processing power (such as the addition of screeners, crushers, and generators) increases the rate of pollution production and absolute amount of pollution in our communities, exacerbating the harmful impacts.

Oppose any mine expansion, and would like to have an environmental impact study completed. The environmental & health risks are more important than profits.

I live within earshot of the Hoffday mine. We are already experiencing off-site noise and dust. Additional large equipment will exacerbate this. A full EIS is completely warranted to quantify the added impacts on neighboring properties. This operation has been previously fined for multiple repeat violations of their permit in the past. Since the mine's existing permit is due to expire in May of 2021, DEC should deny the application for expanded operations, opting instead to enforce the requirements for reclamation of the site. DEC should also take a regional, watershed level approach to mining operations in Sand Lake and Poestenkill. Extensive historical mining operations over a generation has left the Wynanskill Creek watershed significanly more prone to major flooding by removing enormous amounts of glacial overburden. The lost capacity to store storm water from an inevitable epic rain event could have disastrous results in the local region. Sand Lake has suffered from mining impact long enough. Downstream could suffer worse.

As a long-time Sand Lake resident, I understand they are part of the Town's history. But I am very concerned about the environmental impacts of the lack of required reclamation work, the transformation of formerly agricultural lands into mines, the potential degradation of ground water (in a Town with no public water) and the growing clash between the increasingly residential nature of the Town and the noise and dust pollution of the mining operations, all of which applies to the Hoffay mine.

All for local business; however truck traffic is very heavy and the noise is to extreme. Maybe this business owner could install sidewalks one mile from WSL school going both 150 and 43. Or maybe an advocate from the business could have accompanied bring natural gas. Reside 150 and Hillcrest.

Averill Park We can currently hear the mining operations from this particular mine at our house. Additional equipment and procedures for processing sand and gravel will, without a doubt, produce more noise. We already have a plethora of heavy weight vehicles on our roads -- headed everywhere, not just to our own communities, but to villages throughout the capital district. We need to put a cap on this. I strongly oppose expanded operations and physical mine expansion in the Town of Sand Lake.

When will DEC represent local interests and say residents have endured enough of the deleterious effects of mines on our community and our quality of life? Why do the interests of 5 - monied miners supercede those of over 7,000 local residents. Why are we generating funds for miners which mean the value of my property goes down and my taxes go up to compensate. I pay more on my 3 acre property than they do on any of the mining on their larger properties. . Why are politicians not acting?

A comprehensive review and community discussion is necessary for meeting the democratic principle of consensual decision making.

We live less than half a mile from this mine and oppose this expansion! The noise pollution from the mine and the trucks, the road damage from trucks, as well as the environmental impact from the mine is already too much. Enough is enough already.

To allow the mining permit to be modified without preparation and review of a full environmental impact statement is irresponsible, arbitrary, and capricious.

The mine is practically in my backyard and the town is impacted enough from development. An impact statement and should be shared publicly and widely.

I am all for owning and operating a business, but I am so sick of Replacing my Windshield for trucks and the traffic involved.

West Sand Lake

I can't imagine any more health hazard dust, filthy home exteriors, broken windshields, and crusher noise than we have now. Not to mention the property values in a prosperous town with the appearance of a filthy mining town.

Hoffay has already abused the grandfather clause to expand his deceased parents' very small mine on their farm into a giant mining operation with no farming occurring. Without the ridiculous grandfather clausevdor mines that existed prior to regulations, his current operations would be illegal. Please do not let him expand again.

I think it's already to big...give an inch , they take a mile...Just as he is trying to do.

No more mining in the Town of Sand Lake! Our roads are being ruined with the truck traffic. Our quality of life is being jeopardized with the noise pollution and the truck pollution. The trucks speed up and down the roads and ignore the speed limit. My house shakes at times when the overloaded trucks speed by. Enough is enough!