Letter to the Editor: Gravel Pits Are Ruining Part of Old Lyme

To the Editor:

Over 30 years ago we moved to Old Lyme from New York. While showing us our future home, the Realtor told us that we should know that “Old Lyme doesn’t care about this part of town.” She was on the mark. Rampant industrialization in the form of gravel quarries in our back yard is ruining our part of town. The town has issued permits for the virtual strip mining of land abutting our property and more importantly the Three Mile River. This river is an important habitat for wildlife and includes vernal pools that are being fouled with runoff from the quarry activity. As residents, we are now expected to live with noise, including rock crushing, dust and the resulting health effects.

Multiple appeals to the zoning and wetlands commissions, hearings, expert opinions and research findings have not moved their opinions, in spite of multiple violations and overreach on actions in the quarries. It seems like these decisions were made a long time ago, behind closed doors. One of the companies was issued a permit to build a circular driveway but instead has been steadily mining, crushing and screening land way beyond any reasonable concept of a “circular driveway.” 

We thought we would live out our lives in the once peaceful home where we raised our children, but now that thought is in doubt. We should have listened to our Realtor.

Sincerely,
Betsy and Ken Groth
Old Lyme