The road, once part of the Hansen Highway and built by the Americans for access to the railway station in Stephenville Crossing, was once maintained by the Department of Transportation and Works.
The department no longer maintained it after it was blocked off when a road section was put across a bog joining Hansen Highway and White’s Road.
According to minutes of a Stephenville Crossing town council meeting obtained by Goodyear’s group, council approved a rock quarry at the Old Seal Cove Road location to Curnew’s Construction on March 30, 2016, located 1 kilometer south of Gull Pond.
Goodyear, who spent 12 years on the Stephenville Crossing town council including two terms as mayor and who plans to run for council in next month’s municipal election, said this permit should never have been granted without first being advertised publicly.
He feels had public input been allowed, the development would never have gone ahead because there certainly would have been objections to it.
Goodyear has sent a letter to Siobhan Coady, Minister of Natural Resources, requesting a stop-order on the permit to Curnew’s Construction.
He said the request is based on concerns with the location and the effects it will have on the Seal Cove Road area.
“Our major concern is this quarry project will result in the loss of all road usage, future property development and value,” Goodyear said.
He said other concerns are with public safety, dust pollution, noise pollution, air pollution, dangers caused by blasting rock and transportation of this rock on Seal Cove Road with large trucks. There is also a concern about possible contamination in a brook near the quarry.
While to date the quarry is only being used for gravel, Goodyear fears it will be extended and that blasting and other operations will take place in the future.
He said he has nothing against the contractor and the issue is really with the town council in approving the permit without looking for public input.
A request regarding what is taking place with the quarry was put into the Department of Natural Resources and an official with the department said the matter was being looked into but didn’t have a response on Tuesday afternoon.
Mayor Brian Joy of the Stephenville Crossing town council couldn’t be reached for comment.
