BLM seeks public input on a possible new quarry

FIRTH, Idaho (KIFI) - A proposal is in for a new quarry to be implemented in a spot that is 10 miles east of Firth. The quarry will be extracting Burnstone or high calcium limestone from the area. The request is from Burns Industries LLC.

"They present a plan to us. And so then we do various different levels of development of that idea. And if it's a viable idea, then we proceed with it," said Bruce Hallman, the Public affairs Office for the Idaho Falls District of the Bureau of Land Managment.

Part the process will include a public meeting which will be held April 6, 2023 in the Needlecraft building of the East Idaho Fair Grounds. The meeting will last for a couple hours and starts at 5 p.m. to 7p.m. Hallman says the purpose of the meeting is fro concerned public members to raise those concerns.

The plan for the quarry is to extract the stone in a 260 acre area. Hallman says the area will not be turned into a quarry all at once.

"Their plan is to have about 50 acres of like roads and different storage and infrastructure. But at any one time, they're planning to quarry about 20 acres and take the resource out of the ground. And then when they're done with that 20 acres, they will move on to a second 20 acres spot. And with whatever they're disturbing, they will fill in and reclaim the previous 20 acres."

Hallman adds if you miss the public meeting on the sixth you can still comment on the project.

"A public comment period that lasts through the April 13th. And so that's another way that just electronically or by mail, they can contact the Pocatello field office of the BLM to let them know what their comments are."

The address for the Public meeting is:

East Idaho Fair Grounds - Needlecraft Building
97 Park Street
Blackfoot, Idaho 83221

If you think you will miss the public meeting but have a comment you can contact BLM by:

Phone: (208) 478-6340
Address: BLM Pocatello Field Office
Attn: Bryce Anderson
4350 Cliffs Drive
Pocatello, Idaho 83204