Gravel Mining Worries Resurfacing for Area Residents

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Photo by holzijue from Pixabay

| 2 min | by Doug Marrin |

At the Dexter Forum, via Zoom, on December 5, 2020, Washtenaw County Treasurer Catherine McClary introduced an agenda item that evoked a struggle residents in the area had six years ago—gravel mining.

"Senate Bill 431 will prohibit any local input on mining operations," explained McClary. "I would recommend that people talk with their state reps. They can get more information on Monday. The (Michigan) House and Senate will be in session Tuesday."

Michigan Senate Bill 431 has aroused new fears that gravel mining companies can begin operations despite the community's will. It is an echo from 2014 when McCoig Materials, which operates multiple concrete plants, wanted to open its first sand and gravel mine on 158 acres across from Green Lake on M52 in Lyndon Township. The property, privately owned at the time, was surrounded by the Pinckney and Waterloo recreation areas. The mine would decimate the landscape, most notably Stofer Hill. Further concern revolved around the estimated 60-80 gravel trucks a day going through downtown Chelsea and the impact on downtown businesses.

A group known as "Friends of Chelsea and Lyndon Township" was formed to resist the mining effort. In the end, the property was donated to the state as parkland that connects the Pinckney and Waterloo areas to Park Lyndon.

Moderator of the Chelsea Community Forum, Rod Anderson, was also in attendance at the Dexter Forum and told the group that Bill 431 would be on the Chelsea Forum's agenda Saturday, December 12, 2020.

"We're scrambling to catch up on this," explained Anderson. "It has come out of the blue."

"We found out that this bill is on the verge of passage," continued Anderson. "It's in the Senate...This bill essentially strips the rights of local government on any kind of oversight on these kinds of operations."

Anderson has been working to spread the word about Michigan Senate Bill 431. It will be the only agenda item on the Chelsea Forum's agenda on the 12th. State Representative Donna Lasinski will be in attendance, and State Senator Lana Theis to talk about the bill and what it could mean for the people they represent in Lansing.

Bill 431 can be found at this link.

Zoom link to the Chelsea Forum's meeting and more information on Bill 431 can be found at this link.

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