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12-25-2008
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  Not Ranked : 0 FYI - Story on Limecrest http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/sussex/index.ssf?/base/news-2/1230096339156850.xml&coll=1ffice  ffice" />Sparta expects to mine electricity from quarry Water at site, once owned by Thomas Edison, would help generate power Wednesday, December 24, 2008 BY JIM LOCKWOOD Star-Ledger Staff A 102-year-old quarry in Sparta founded by Thomas Edison may soon become a source of electricity, officials said. Sparta is planning to convert the Limecrest Quarry's vast reservoir of spring-fed water into a hydroelectric generating plant that would raise millions of dollars in rent revenue for the township each year, township manager Henry Underhill said. The township yesterday issued a public notice to bidders for a lease of the quarry for an electric generating facility, with an annual minimum rent of $5.5 million to be paid on the land. Bids are to be opened on Jan. 21. By the time the quarry was founded in 1906 by Thomas Edison, to mine iron ore for steel and limestone for agriculture and cement, he already had a patent for the electric light bulb and had turned his attention toward mining. The quarry, which has had various owners over the years, contains a natural spring fed from the Germany Flats aquifer, which discharges about 6 million gallons of water per day into a quarry pit, according to the township. Sparta last year purchased 172 acres of the 552-acre quarry for $2.45 million from C.C. Cox LLC, because the land contained the vast water resource. The rest of the 552-acre quarry had been purchased in 2003 by Limecrest Quarry Developers, a firm owned by developer Gene Mulvihill and his family. They have a lease on the Cox portion of the quarry property until 2017. The Mulvihills, who were hoping to buy the Cox parcel themselves and eventually develop the entire quarry property into housing, then sued the town, saying it only bought the Cox land to scuttle their development plans. That lawsuit has since been settled, and now the town and Limecrest are cooperating on the hydroelectric plan, Underhill and Mulvihill said. The bid notice states that a lease of the quarry for electric generation is contingent upon the township reaching an agreement with Limecrest, to use that firm's quarry property in Sparta and Andover Township for electric generation. Underhill said the town and Limecrest are still negotiating their pact, but are close to an agreement. He would not say how much of the $5.5 million in rent would go to Limecrest, but said it stands to gain rental "money and other considerations" under the plan. Negotiations are expected to be completed by Jan. 21, when more information would be released, he said. "We have the foundation of a deal (with Limecrest Quarry Developers). There are things in it for them and things in it for us," said Underhill, who would not be more specific, citing contract negotiations. Mulvihill also declined to divulge details. He said relations between his firm, which plans to mine the quarry for another 40 years, and Sparta have been repaired and that a hydroelectric facility would be good for the township. "We're very friendly with Sparta. We'll go along with what they want," Mulvihill said. Electricity generated at the quarry would be supplied to a regional electric grid in 13 states, Underhill said. A successful bidder would have three to five years to do drilling and testing of the land to see if hydroelectric generation is feasible and, if so, begin operating. The bid also calls for an initial lease term of 50 years, with two 25-year lease renewals. "It's a very intriguing project, but it's not guaranteed it would even work," Underhill said. Jim Lockwood may be reached at jlockwood@starledger.com or (973) 383-0516. ©2008 Star Ledger   |
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