TOWN OF CLAY – At an April 1 meeting, many residents of Clay came out to express their concerns and raise questions about a proposed concrete batch plant on Goguen Drive, off of Wetzel Road, where there are already other industrial companies operating.
Industry Standard USA has asked for a special permit to build the proposed facility.
According to one resident, the Clay town board initially addressed this proposal at a Feb. 2, 2024 meeting and it was adjourned to March 4 and than again to the April 1 meeting.
Since the proposal was presented several Facebook groups have been created where residents have voiced some of their concerns.
On the Town of Clay Concerned Citizens page residents have shared their thoughts on what they say can happen with this kind of plant including concerns about air, water and noise pollution as well as traffic issues.
They have written about being particularly concerned with these issues in an area that has schools, residential neighborhoods, recreational areas as well a the effect this could have on wildlife.
At the April 1 meeting residents voiced concerns about the potential for particulates such as concrete dust and silica dust from the operation of this kind of plant are something that people could be breathing in and this could have long term effects on health.
Those who spoke said if these particles are absorbed into the long and bloodstream they have been shown to worsen asthma in children, according to the residents’ concerns and that children and older people are particularly vulnerable.
Following the April 1 meeting residents took to Facebook where they expressed their concerns that the developer was not well prepared for the questions that were posed at the meeting.
With the amount of public comment, the board asked the developer to prepare responses to the questions and concerns that were raised at the meeting and come back again to continue this discussion at the board’s May meeting.
Representatives of the developer said this April 1 meeting was a public hearing so they were not able to offer many comments back at that time and that various studies such as traffic impact were being worked on they were waiting for those studies to be completed before offering comments in response.
In a statement the developers released, they expressed an understanding of the concerns and said they plan to go above and beyond.
“We understand and respect the concerns raised by our neighbors regarding the proposed concrete batch plant. As a veteran-owned business committed to being a responsible and positive presence in our community, we take these concerns seriously—especially those relating to environmental impact, noise, and traffic,” the statement reads. “Our team is actively working to address these questions comprehensively. We’re not just focused on meeting regulatory standards but exceeding them wherever possible to ensure our operations are sustainable and community-friendly. Our goal is to bring benefits to our community, including creating quality job opportunities and supporting local infrastructure improvements. We are committed to transparency and ongoing dialogue with the community. To this end, we invite our neighbors to share their concerns and suggestions directly with us, ensuring all voices are heard and considered in our planning process and for the April 1st town board meeting. Our dedication to being great neighbors and a leading veteran-owned employer in the area is unwavering.”