Fred Hill gravel mine seeks expansion

Growing regional demand for gravel and asphalt is behind a proposal to expand the mining area at the Fred Hill Materials gravel pit at Shine.

Under the proposal, the company seeks to expand the mining area by 20 acres, bringing the total size of the operation to about 191 acres.

Fred Mill Materials Project Manager Dan Baskins said the expansion is necessary to keep up with demand. With the only gravel pit in the region from central Kitsap County north into Clallam County, the company is busy providing materials for summer road construction and repair projects.

"We've running 24 hours a day, seven days a week for months now, and we can barely keep up," he said. "We're just expanding so we have material readily available to get through the year and next year."

The application for expansion was delivered to Jefferson County Department of Community Development officials last week. Public comment on the proposal can be submitted through 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30.

If all goes well, mining in the area could begin early next year, Baskins said.

The gravel could be mined to a maximum depth of 50 feet - at least 100 feet from the seasonal high groundwater table. After the area is mined, the company would "reclaim" the area by spreading topsoil and a layer of forest debris, which would eventually become a tree farm planted with Douglas fir.

While the proposal is an expansion of existing mining operations, Baskins said he expects some opposition from people who have complained about noise, the appearance of the pit and other concerns.

"It's their way of getting publicity and raising funds," he said. (Please see Statement by HCC Steering Committee)

But John Fabian of the Hood Canal Coalition said his group isn't opposed to the expansion.

"We have never objected to the mining operation where it's done responsibly," he said. "But we do plan to make comments, as I think it's appropriate to do, but at this time I don't see that we'd object to it."

Jefferson County is the lead agency for environmental review of the proposal. According to a cover letter sent by Department of Community Development Director Al Scalf to agencies involved with reviewing the proposal, the county expects to issue a determination of non-significance under state environmental policy requirements.

Information about the proposal is available online at www.co.jefferson.wa.us/commdevelopment/FHMhome.htm, or by calling Department of Community Development Planner Greg Ballard at 385-379-4450.