State Sen. Tom Butler, D-Madison, said Saturday that he has reintroduced legislation in Montgomery that he hopes will halt plans for a rock quarry at Tanner.
“We haven’t given up on it,” Butler said. “I’m trying to get a bill passed that would make it illegal to build a quarry within five miles of a school. Tanner High School is just five miles from the Tanner quarry. If it goes, it would stop it.”
Butler said “big money lobbyists” are working to stop any legislation that is introduced on the quarry. He said the quarry owner, Rogers Group Inc., has already gotten word of his latest bill and is fighting it.
Rogers Group plans to close its quarry in the Cross Key community of Limestone County and move operations to the Tanner site, which also is within a mile of Swan Creek Management Area which houses a heron rookery and a pair of nesting bald eagles, according to a biologist for the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries.
Four local bills that would have halted plans for a rock quarry on Laughmiller Road were dealt a severe blow during a public hearing before a five-member senate committee in Montgomery last month.
The committee of senators voted 3-2 not to let the bills out of committee, preventing them from making the Senate floor for a vote.
“I introduced the latest bill so it would be discussed in my committee on the Senate floor,” Butler said. “But Rogers Group got wind of it and is causing us some problems.”
Butler and State Rep. Henry White, D-Athens, introduced bills earlier this year and said that Rogers Group invested heavily in lobbyists to oppose the bills, which would give the Limestone County Commission more regulatory power on where quarries are located and set policy on water use by quarries.
While some of the bills would have statewide application, Butler said they are all local and the five-member Limestone County delegation believe they should be treated like any other local legislation and go through unopposed by other legislators.
“We’re still working on some stuff,” Butler said. “We’re trying to pull any card we can play.”
Local News
Butler: 'We're not giving up'
Senator reintroduces bill to stop quarry
- Local News
-
-
Alabama lawmakers return for 2012 regular session
Alabama legislators return to Montgomery for the 2012 regular session facing a full agenda that will include giving Alabama's toughest in the nation immigration law a tune up and balancing the budgets in what promises to be a difficult budget year.
-
Alabama legislators to get gloomy budget forecasts
Legislators arriving in Montgomery for the start of the 2012 legislative session will get hit with bad news.
-
Albertville school wins national recycling competition
Students at a north Alabama school are champions of a national recycling competition.
-
Thach Road house fire investigated
Limestone officials have asked the deputy state fire marshal to determine what caused a fire that destroyed about half of a home on Thach Road Saturday night in northeastern Limestone County.
-
School board to vote on land for Ardmore gym
Limestone County school board members are expected to vote tonight on whether to buy additional land near Ardmore High School to build a better gymnasium.
-
County, city OK Carpenter incentives
The Limestone County Commission and Athens City Council approved a host of incentives Monday for Pennsylvania steel company Carpenter Technology Corporation, which plans to construct a facility off U.S. 31 just north of Calhoun Community College.
-
MORE STORIES: Click LOCAL NEWS bar at top left
Click "Local News" bar at top left for more stories
-
BREAKING: County, city approve incentives for steel plant
The commission agreed to a sales tax abatement in the amount of $8.162 million through July 2014 and a property tax abatement of more than $13.9 million over 10 years.
- Relay for Life team hosts fishing tourney to help fight cancer
-
State children's choir to perform in Athens
The choir will appear at First Baptist Church in Athens at 10:30 a.m. March 4 during morning worship services.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Alabama lawmakers return for 2012 regular session
Stranded Fishermen Rescued From Bay of Green Bay
Analyst: Outside Troops Won't Intervene in Syria
Murder Trial for Ex-U.Va. Lacrosse Player Begins
NY Giants Touch Down Victorious
Police: Father Planned Deadly Fire for Some Time
US, UK Pressure on Syria; More Homs Violence
Raw Video: Mass Killer Wants Medal, Freedom
Few Answers in Death of Sons of Missing Utah Mom
Court Strips Contador of Tour De France Title
Runaway Goat Leads Police on Wild Chase
And the Winner for Best Super Bowl Ad Is...
Raw Video: Deadly Helicopter Crash in Australia
Raw Video: Smoke, Purported Gunfire in Syria
Romney Latest Poll to Join Let-me-explain Club
Blast Kills Husband of Missing Utah Mom, 2 Boys
Obama: US, Israel Will Work Against Iran Nukes
NJ Museum Finds 19th Century Recording
Snow Causes Disruptions in Much of Europe
Clinton: Vetoed U.N. Syria Resolution 'travesty'
Romney Picks Up Decisive Win in Nevada Caucuses
