Neighbors plead with Chester board to enforce on quarry violations

By Shawn Cunningham
© 2025 Telegraph Publishing LLC

In an otherwise light meeting – mostly followups and housekeeping – the Chester Select Board last Wednesday heard from neighbors complaining that the Julian quarries in Gassetts were continuing to violate a signed agreement with the town.

The quarries were cited by the town for violations in January of last year and that April, the Julian company agreed to stop specific activities, such as hydraulic hammering and dumping materials into the Great Brook at the Chandler Road Quarry.

At that time, town attorney Jim Carroll told the neighbors that the agreement put the town in a good position since any further violations could be taken directly to the state environmental court.

And last Wednesday, several Gassetts residents told the board that the violations were indeed continuing, and said that the 2024 agreement gives the town the right to enforce everything in it. Among the complaints brought to the board by Leslie Thorsen, Mike Leclair and Mike Kenworthy were:

• Continued discharge of stone sludge into the Great Brook;
• Blasting and continued drilling for more blasting – apparently to deepen the Chandler quarry;
• Truck traffic between the quarries including a new processing area in Rockingham;
• Pumps running at all hours moving sludge out of the Chandler quarry.

Gassetts resident Cheryl Leclair told the board that the Julian company’s Act 250 permit on the quarries expires this coming October and asked that the town do whatever it can to stop it from being renewed.

Zoning Administrator Preston Bristow told the board that they could explore whether the stipulation would actually allow the town to enforce against the violations or whether that’s “a fool’s errand.” Bristow said that would require legal advice.

Town Manager Julie Hance asked if the board wanted her and Bristow to go back to the town’s attorney to ask those questions, noting that it could be a substantial expense.

Board member Tim Roper suggested that prodding the state agencies responsible for enforcement with letters might help and Bristow said he had already done that with the office that regulates storm water runoff.

“But ultimately the decisions at the state level are political,” Bristow said, suggesting that the neighbors write to Gov. Phil Scott and members of the state legislature to press for enforcement.

After more discussion, the board authorized Hance to consult with town attorney Jim Carroll about enforcement through the agreement reached a year ago.