The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources has granted a permit renewal for Martin Marietta Materials Inc.’s Vanceboro Quarry. This decision follows feedback received during a public hearing held on November 19 in Washington, North Carolina, and the subsequent comment period.
The new permit, effective April 1, 2025, will oversee the regulation of mine dewatering and stormwater discharge into unnamed tributaries of Blounts Creek. These waters are classified as Class C, Swamp, Nutrient Sensitive within the Tar-Pamlico River Basin.
Under the terms of the permit, monitoring for pH levels, total suspended solids (TSS), and turbidity is required twice monthly in the discharge from the mine. Additionally, once discharging begins, there is a mandate to assess biological integrity every two years through studies on benthic macroinvertebrates or benthos.
Further details about the permit and a technical fact sheet are accessible online. The division’s report on public comments is also available online under “Vanceboro Quarry hearing officer’s report.”
