Officials recently rezoned 150 acres of the Tressler Tract near Pleasant Gap for Glenn O. Hawbaker, Graymont joint quarry expansion.

Supervisors suggested 10-hour operational days and blasting between 1 and 3 p.m., but Hawbaker representative Glen Hein said flexibility was needed to allow 22-hour operational days when required.

"It's unfortunate that the nature of our business can be noisy, can be dirty at times,” said Hein. “We do everything that we can; we're controlled by so many people and we try to make that a good situation."

A Graymont representative said that blasting may be pushed to 6 p.m. or possibly 6 a.m. pending the outcome of a union shift decision.

Several residents of the nearby Stover Development testified under oath that quarry operations rattled their homes and that blasting sent rocks flying into a neighboring farmer’s field.

Ralph Shilling told WJAC-TV that he feared that the quarry operations would drop his property value and that the expansion is inching too close toward his neighborhood.

“We had one main concern, which is a good night's sleep,” said Shilling. "They've made recommendations to the supervisors and the supervisors went against the majority of the planning commission. They've done it in the past and they'll do it again."

The township solicitor said supervisors have 45 days to submit a conditional-use agreement for the quarry expansion.