The primary responsibilities of the Pits & Quarries Division are:
- To supply and stockpile materials for road maintenance activities.
- To provide materials storage areas.
- To provide staging areas for road projects.
Supplying Materials
- Directly affects the Maintenance and Operations (M&O) Division of Public Works.
- Enables the Maintenance Crew easy access to the necessary rock, pit run gravel, and other materials used to complete road maintenance projects in a timely fashion.
- This service allows for the least impact on county residents and visitors.
- Minimal cost to county taxpayers.
Storage Areas
- Pits provide storage areas for materials purchased for M&O road maintenance use.
- Staging areas for contracted road construction projects.
- Security at all hours for pits and quarries is high.
Mining Operations
- No mining currently occurs at the several pits and quarries located throughout Whatcom County.
- Currently, there are two active pits, Siper and Abel, permitted for mining pit runs.
- Private companies are contracted to crush rock and stockpile it at the pits.
Monitoring for Water Quality
- Every active pit and quarry is monitored for water quality.
- Monitoring is undertaken in areas that accumulate stormwater runoff.
- The Washington Department of Ecology receives quarterly reports on the data.