Meridian Aggregates - Johnston County

Meridian Aggregates requested stream water and ground water for rock mining operations at the North Troy Quarry near Mill Creek, Oklahoma in 2005. The stream water permit was granted by OWRB without protest.

CPASA and others protested the ground water permit application on the basis that the requested amount would deplete the aquifer so much that the springs and streams would be adversely affected. A brief overview prepared by Lithochim, consultant for CPASA during the protest, can be found here.

After a lengthy hearing, OWRB granted Meridian 274 acre feet annually from the Arbuckle Simpson. Meridian appealed the ruling in District Court and the judge upheld the 274 acre feet limit but ruled that current law did not give the OWRB the authority to require a permit for use of the pit water. CPASA, as well as the others involved in the protest, appealed the ruling and the case is being heard in the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, Martin Marietta has been pumping water out of Mill Creek using their stream water permit. The hard pumping of Mill Creek has caused the creek to fall and to run dry at times and has become the focal point of much of our efforts in 2008.

Meridian filed a second permit application in 2007. CPASA protested that permit, as well, but later settled. The settlement document can be viewed here.