WESTBROOK – In preparation for the start of rock crushing work at its Spring Street plant next month, Pike Industries will be doing its first blasts of the year starting later this month.

According to the city, Pike has scheduled eight blasting days, June 26-29 and July 3, 5, 6 and 10, to amass enough rock at its quarry to begin crushing operations, which are expected to start sometime in July.

Westbrook City Engineer Eric Dudley said that Pike has been issued a permit and plans to have Maine Drilling and Blasting conduct four blasts during that eight-day period. He said the company has set aside extra days to account for bad weather that would prevent it from blasting. Under an agreement between Pike and the city, the company is allowed to blast eight times per year. Dudley said the blasts would be conducted between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. He said the company has indicated to the city it intends on doing additional blasts in the fall.

Representatives from Pike did not return calls seeking comment by American Journal deadline.

Tim Bachelder, who lives in the area of the quarry and has spoken on behalf of the neighborhood surrounding the Pike property, said he feels Pike is living up to the terms of its agreement.

“So far everything looks good,” he said, adding that he is satisfied with the buffers that Pike has installed facing his property.

Blasting at Pike’s Spring Street quarry has been a contentious issue. When the company announced it was ramping up operations at the quarry in 2008, it set off a flurry of complaints from neighbors, local businesses in the area and significantly, from nearby Idexx Laboratories, which threatened to cancel its plans to expand.

After lengthy discussions, the city, Pike and Idexx reached a consent agreement in late 2010 that spelled out how Pike could operate the quarry. This agreement allowed Idexx to move forward with its expansion plans.

Late last year, Pike was fined $4,500 by the city for violations of the vibration limits specified in the agreement. The fines came after Pike was fined $3,000 earlier in 2011 for three separate violations committed during the construction of an access road off Spring Street. Dudley said all the fines have been paid.

Dudley said that rock crushing can’t begin until the city inspects the equipment that is going to be used, adding that the equipment has not arrived at the site yet. Crushing could be conducted between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., and Pike must use crushers with plastic screens and special belts to reduce noise.

Bachelder said while he is concerned about the crushing operation, he thinks the new machines will make a difference.

“I’m pretty comfortable that if the crushers work the way they say they will, it’s going to be a lot quieter,” he said. “(But) we won’t know until they start.”

Pike has indicated that it would invite the neighbors into the quarry to check out the new crushing equipment before starting operations to satisfy any concerns. Bachelder said he plans to take them up on their offer, and he believes that Pike and the neighborhood will find a way to peacefully coexist.

“I’m sure we’ll find a win-win here so we’ll all get along,” he said.