Owasso residents concerned about nearby quarry

Some folks in Owasso are at odds again with a nearby rock quarry over its plans to expand. <br><br>The Rogers County commissioners rejected Anchor Stone's latest request for a 76-acre increase Monday.

Monday, June 9th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Some folks in Owasso are at odds again with a nearby rock quarry over its plans to expand.

The Rogers County commissioners rejected Anchor Stone's latest request for a 76-acre increase Monday. But the company could try again in district court. News on 6 reporter Steve Berg has more on this quarry quarrel.

A rock quarry is supposed to be a dusty, messy place. Sue Russell just didn't expect it to wind up on her front porch. Light covers are covered with the stuff. And she's worried about her health. "Yes, I think about that. Because if it's here, you know we've got to be breathing it."

"You can't change the filters on your air-conditioner soon enough, quick enough.â€ Chuck Swisher says they're also rattled by all the blasting work at the quarry, which he says goes on much later into the night than it's supposed to.

So why move here in the first place. Russell says her family came to Oklahoma from out of state, and they were in a hurry to find a place. "I was really surprised how bad the blasting was when I first moved here, I didn't expect it to be like that. And no one told me it would be like that before I bought the place."

Swisher says when he bought his place; he didn't think the quarry's permit would be renewed. "The realtor told me that it was going to be a big pond or a big lake or something when they get done."

If residents do decide they want to leave the neighborhood, Swisher says they're probably caught between a rock and a hard place, hard place to sell. "I think the market value on these houses that are closest to the rock quarry are gonna dive. They're not gonna go up."

Swisher says his 11-year-old house is already developing suspicious cracks. But he says his opposition to the plant hasn't crumbled.

We called Anchor Stone for comment Monday. So far, they haven't responded.