HomeMy WebLinkAboutMDGPreliminaryBlastingPlan01/08/17 Preliminary Blasting Plan Comments
Pg. 1 of 1 Marcus Gingerich
Comments on the Preliminary Blasting Plan
1) Blasting: Why is the final blasting plan being submitted to and being approved by the County?
This should require Town of Enfield approval?
2) “B. The maximum allowable air-blast…may not exceed 128 decibels peak…” So what if does?
What are the consequences if it does? How is this enforceable by the town?
3) “C. The maximum allowable air-blast…may not exceed 128 decibels peak… Depending on
building use (or lack thereof), the allowable air-blast may increase…” What is the actual
criteria for allowing higher air-blast levels? What building use allows this? What building use
does not allow this?
4) “E. Prior to blasting at each site, a pre-blast survey will be conducted…will inspect the blast
area, and adjacent areas.” How far out does the survey extend? There should be a specified
minimum distance.
5) “F. All blasting shall be monitored…agreed to by the County.” Again, the decision making is
now being abdicated to the County? The town of Enfield should have the final say in this
decision making process.
6) “I. The blast record shall contain,…Direction and distance in feet to the nearest structure…”
So, apparently only the nearest structure is of importance. If there is an abandoned shack or
hunting cabin (structure) 100ft. from the blasting site, then the occupied house 105ft. from the
blasting site does not need to be recorded. This does not make sense. There should be a
minimum distance within which all structures should be duly noted and recorded.
7) J. There is mention of corrective action to inconsistencies of facilities after a blast. There is no
specifically enforceable action required. There are no time-limits within which these corrective
actions (presumably repairs) must be made.
8) There appears to be no plan to notify local residents when a blasting event is planned. There
should be notification of neighbors and it should not depend upon internet as not all residents
may have internet access.
9) What are the consequences of not following this plan? What are the enforceable aspects of this
plan? The town board will likely have to lay out reasonable consequences to any failures to
comply as it is unlikely that the Project Sponsor will voluntarily impose useful and enforceable
restrictions upon itself.
10) It would seem reasonable that the Project Sponsor should be required to analyze the anticipated
impacts of vibration from blasting on any structure in the vicinity and, in particular, those listed
on the registry of historic places. The town board should develop and impose ‘vibration limits’
for any building and in particular any historic building within a certain distance, i.e., 1 mi., of
any blasting?