Nexgen Silica, DNR Answer Questions On Mine
James Heisler, the first of some dozen citizens who got in line to question Nexgen Silica and Department of Natural Resources personnel, gets ready to speak. (Photo by MICHAEL BOYD JR./Herald staff)
By MARK EVANS
STE. GENEVIEVE HERALD
Both sides in the silica sand debate took plenty of time verbalizing their views Thursday night. Yet after a four-hour evening at the Progress Sports Complex, neither side appeared to have been swayed.
An hour after the doors opened, the meeting began with Nexgen Silica, LLC and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) giving detailed overview of the anticipated plant operation.
Roger Faulkner, owner of R & K Construction and a managing partner in Nexgen Silica, introduced his two partners in Nexgen, Aaron Vollrath and Bob Gerke, both from Slater, Mo., in the Columbia area.
They also introduced their advisory board of specialists, who then proceeded to speak in some detail about their fields of expertise. They included engineer Stan Schultz, Keith Henderson of Buckley Powder, geologist Ira Satterfield, hydrologist Mike Carlson, and industrial hygienist John Jurgiel. It was stressed that this group had more than 250 combined years of experience.
After about an hour’s presentation, a long and at times heated question and answer session followed.