New York

Pit & Quarry, Nov, 2004

A company that wants to build a cement plant near the Hudson River in Columbia County must undergo in-depth environmental reviews on issues ranging from the potential visual impact to nitrogen oxide emissions, according to a ruling by the chief environmental official of New York State. In what opponents of the project described as the biggest setback for the company, St.

Lawrence Cement, the commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation, Erin M. Crotty, says the gravel mine that would supply the new plant must go through environmental review. The company had argued that the mining operation should be exempt from review because it predated the state's review statute. The proposed plant, which would be one of the largest cement plants in the nation, has attracted some support from residents eager for economic growth, reports The New York Times.