HELP TO SAVE NORTH MOUNTAIN!

The sickening prospect of a quarrying operation in the historic residential village of Gerrardstown  has become a reality if we all do not act on this potential threat to our community on both sides of North Mountain and surrounding homes, farms and schools.

Tell your neighbors, co-workers, bosses and EVERYONE YOU KNOW!!  

We need EVERYONE’S help in fighting this nightmare.

Please join us today to save Gerrardstown and the surrounding

communities for tomorrow.

We care. Do YOU???

NIMBY - Not in My Back Yard

and

Gerrardstown means it 

We Care Do You? 

 

 

 

We are a group of citizens active in protecting the beauty of our surroundings, the cleanness of our streams and our water wells, the value of our farms and homes, the safety of our children along our rural roads and the huge source of groundwater that many communities depend on:

North Mountain.

 

North Mountain is a natural reservoir for rain water that is filtered and cleaned by the structure of the mountain and flows constantly into Mill Creek and Back Creek.

Our issues with locating an industrial quarry

on the Carr Farm in the middle of

the residential area of Gerrardstown:

Water

The location of the quarry is right on top of a major Mill Creek water table recharge area.  This has the irreversible potential of damaging that water source through changing the water source travel and adding pollution to it.  Major wells for Glenwood Forest may lose water sources and private wells, farm ponds and public fire protection ponds will lose their water sources from both springs and ground water flow.  Additional TMDL loads on Mill Creek will affect operations of Berkeley County Water Plant drawing from LeFevre Springs, violating federal, state and local water pollution agreements.

Property Values

The placing of an industrial quarry on the Carr Farm which is surrounded by fast growing residential area will cause a financial loss to citizens due to depreciation of property value as residential property.  Future residential development expecting to locate in a scenic quiet setting will be diminished or stopped, affecting Berkeley County’s tax income.

Historic & Aesthetic Values

The destruction of the forested side of North Mountain will be evident for years for miles.  This has the potential of destroying the historic value of the historical homes, churches and town.  Visitors to Berkeley County following the George Washington Historical Trail will not likely want to linger or photograph a historic area with an open dirt mountain face in the background.

Health

Earth removal at elevations above the village of Gerrardstown and surroundings will shower the area with dust and air borne debris.  The contents of which will be unknown until damage has occurred to the elderly and children of the area.  Large sediment ponds will increase mosquito exposure and its related diseases, contaminating existing ground water resources.

Safety

Industrial traffic in and around the village will affect the freedom of movement now enjoyed by the citizens, including children, in the quiet residential area that enjoys up to now purely residential neighborhoods.

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GERRARDSTOWN 

Gerrardstown is a village in Berkeley County, in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.  Located on West Virginia Route 51, it is west of Interstate 81 and lies at the foot of North Mountain.  North Mountain is part of the Alleghey Mountains which is in turn contained in the Appalachian Mountain Range.   

David Gerrard bought 89 acres from his father in 1784 and laid out the original lots that form the core of the village to this day.  Many of original homes and buildings from the 18^th and 19^th centuries remain and are still in use.

The entire village has been classified as a historic district.  In addition many of the individual homes have also been individually identified as historic landmarks.  It is believed that the village is located on a path that Indians used traveling north-south in the valley.  It is said that a path branched off and was used to cross North Mountain at Mills Gap direct west and above Gerrardstown.  This is now part of WV Route 51.