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STOP THE QUARRY - SAVE OUR WELLS

The following letter was written by Carol Culbertson a Clark County, Ohio resident and current president of Citizens Against Mining. Officially retired Carol assumed a full time unpaid position as president in Mar 2018. Her tireless efforts at stopping this egregious wrong are unmatched.

Please read her plea and help us save the fens!


April 5, 2019

“I need the help of the community at large to save two very special wetlands, more specifically, groundwater fed fens in southwest Ohio. A large industrial sized mining company has targeted my neighborhood in its ever expanding search for profit pushed forward by greed!

I live a simple life on a small plot of land in the country. A school teacher by profession, I have given a lifetime of service to the community and looked forward to becoming a true artist in retirement. I am a potter and a weaver and enjoy quietly tinkering in my studio.

That is, I did, until the aggregate company's blasting and dewatering plans were revealed to me and my neighbors. Now, I find myself, along with my neighbors, in a fight for our lives! Countless hours have had to be spent to block the ever expanding and far reaching tentacles of a company with unlimited financial resources and a host of "experts" able and willing to skew the truth and lie to state agencies who seem complicit with the mining company.

Finding the necessary legal counsel and expert witnesses needed to keep the company at arm's length is time consuming and expensive. The bottom line is we need money to carry this fight into its third year!

We need money to continue the appeals.

We need money to pay for independent hydro geologists! 

We need money to pay for lawyers’ legal counsel!

We need money to appeal this company who trashed our rights to enforce local zoning!

We need money, it is that simple!

We need money and I am tired of fighting the company and at the same time begging and pleading for monetary resources. This fight cannot continue without help from good people who care.

Please consider giving any amount to save the two fens I cherish in Southwest, Ohio. 

I want to go back to being an artist in a quiet studio with running water.”

Carol





                                   _____________________________________________________
   
 September 15, 2018

In federal court cases judges mandate that representatives for both sides meet to negotiate a settlement. On Sep 5, 2018 Enon Sand & Gravel’s representative and their attorney met with Clark County’s representative and attorney. The parties reached a tentative settlement but before if becomes law each side must agree to the terms of the settlement. 

Clark County Commissioners Richard Lohnes, Lowell McGlothin and Melanie Flax-Wilt recently and publicly confirmed their opposition to Enon Sand & Gravel’s proposed limestone quarry in Mad River Township. They are now considering the terms of the settlement. 

NOW is the time for us, the CITIZENS OF MAD RIVER TOWNSHIP, to make our voices heard and it needs to be LOUD!! We must demand that the county not compromise our way of life in the settlement with Enon Sand & Gravel. 

YOU CAN HELP!! You can tell the commissioner why YOU don’t want a quarry in your community. 

Send an e-mail to EACH of the three commissioners at: http://www.clarkcountyohio.gov/index.aspx?NID=121

2.  Or call Commissioners Lohnes, Flax-Wilt and McGlothin at [phone redacted].

THE FIGHT IS NOT OVER BUT WE MUST EXERCISE OUR RIGHT TO BE HEARD!!

DO IT NOW BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!,

———————————————————————————————————————————

It IS our job to protect our habitat and community! If WE don’t, who will? 

This month the Citizens Against Mining (CAM) will celebrate its one year anniversary and in that year CAM volunteers have volunteered thousands of hours and dollars to keep our community protected from the ravages of limestone quarrying! 

CAM thanks every person for their donation and reminds you that this fight can continue only with your support! 

If the fight stops....a quarry will replace our farmland.

____________________________________________________________


The CAM signs have taken a beating over this harsh winter. Some are shredded, others taped and some missing. It's time to repair or replace the signs to show our opposition to Enon Sand and Gravel's proposed limestone mine. The goal is to have many more new signs up and about throughout our community by MARCH 15, 2018.

If you need a sign, shoot an email to CAM-[email redacted].com

Donations are always appreciated! https://www.gofundme.com/CAM-MRT




More than 300 attendees put on an impressive show of community unity at the Ohio EPA Public Hearing at Greenon High School last night with more than 300 attendees.

Thank you for showing your support.

If you have comments or unanswered questions the Ohio EPA will accept written comments through Feb 8, 2018 by e-mail at [email redacted]o.gov or USPS mail:
Ohio EPA-DSW
Permits Processing Unit
P.O. Box 1049
Columbus, Ohio
43216-1049



                  THIS IS IT! Ohio EPA Public Hearing
                            Thursday, February 1, 2018
                        Greenon High School Cafeteria
                                                   6 pm

For more information concerning the hearing go to citizensagainstminining.org
or find CAM on Facebook at:
Citizens Against Mining - Mad River Township

It is showtime! See you at Greenon, 6:00 PM TONIGHT!

Take back local control of our township. Do not allow Jurgensen to pollute our life-giving waters. Please consider giving a donation to CAM to further the fight. https://www.gofundme.com/CAM-MRT

Information to help one prepare a three minute statement concerning the discharge of water into the Mud Run can be found at https://citizensagainstmining.org/
    


 January 31, 2018

Tomorrow... February 1 is the date for the OEPA hearing. CAM is ready with testimony. Are you ready? It is not too late to write a statement concerning Enon Sand and Gravel's plan to pollute the Mud Run. Information for your testimony can be found at https://citizensagainstmining.org/ This hearing is to grant this company the legal right to pollute our neighborhood for free. Jurgensen has no fiscal responsibility associated with the discharge into an unnamed tributary of the Mud Run.

We need your support and your attendance at this meeting. DONATIONS ARE NEEDED. SUPPORT CAM BECAUSE WE ARE READY FOR THIS FIGHT!



  Friday,  25 January 2018

Count Down! 6 Days to go and 5 to get ready.
Let's put on a real show. Come prepared to discuss the degradation of the Mud Run because that is really what this permit is asking. Enon Sand and Gravel would like to release 500 gallons a minute - the water that may come into contact with oils and grease from an industrial operation! YUCK!

We can’t allow this. Make your voice be heard. Attend the meeting at Greenon High School, Thursday, Feb 1, 2018, 6:00 PM.

DONATIONS ARE NEEDED IF WE ARE TO PREVAIL! PLEASE DONATE TODAY!

Go to https://citizensagainstmining.org/ for more information about the proposed deep pit limestone mine with blasting!

                            Thursday, 24 January 2018

“CAM” you come to the hearing......and bring a friend, or two??? Show up/show your support.

The OEPA Public Hearing is one week away.

If you are going to speak, remember the topic is restricted to the discharge of 500 gallons of waste water dumped into the Mud Run each minute! EACH MINUTE!

Should this company be allowed to "waste" our precious water resources? The water will be mixed with the oil, grease, limestone dust and blasting residues on site and then released into our beloved Mud Run?

DO NOT ALLOW THE EPA TO GRANT A PERMIT ALLOWING THIS BIG INDUSTRIAL COMPANY TO DEGRADE THE MUD RUN!

Stand up against this company. Voice your concerns and say NO! YOU WILL NOT DEGRADE OUR MUD RUN!

Money is desperately needed to fight this company at the Ohio Reclamation Commission. Please consider giving a donation at https://www.gofundme.com/CAM-MRT

If you need information about the actions being taken to save our way of life, visit https://citizensagainstmining.org/

Your contributions and support help keep this fight going!




We need to show the Ohio EPA that we care about our community and oppose Enon Sand and Gravel’s proposed limestone mine. 

There will be limited time for speakers at the public hearing. We urge residents to write down your concerns and bring it to the public hearing. 

Please help us fund the fight to keep our wells full of safe, clean water!!! 

Thank you for your support. See you on Feb 1st! 







Follow  our progress as we fight the Cincinnati aggregate mining company Enon Sand and Gravel:
     Online: CItizensAgainstMining.org
     E-mail: CAM-[email redacted].com
     USPS: P.O. Box 222, Enon, OH 45323
     Facebook: Citizens Against Mining - Mad River 
                             Township Ohio
           
                            UDATE - 16 October 2017

Our fight against the 400+ acre pit limestone quarry has moved to two judicial settings:
1. The Ohio Department of Natural Resource Reclamation Commission where we are appealing the July 2017 decision to approve the mining permit for Enon Sand and Gravel to dewater, mine deeper and use blasting materials. 
2. Ohio State District Court, Western District of Ohio, Dayton where Enon Sand and Gravel (ES&G) have filed a lawsuit against the Clark County Commissioners and Board of Zoning Appeals.  ES&G wants to start mining now without the required approval of the Clark County Board of Zoning Appeals.

You can follow this case at:
https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/

The fight will be long and costly. CAM needs your donation to pay our attorney and expert witnesses we will need in the courtroom. Without your help we cannot keep fighting. 

Every penny donated to CAM-MRT goes directly to the fight. All CAM-MRT members are volunteers willing to give their time and their money to keep our community environmentally safe and our well water available. We are a frugal group! Every expenditure is reviewed for it’s value in this fight. 

Fortunately we have retained the legal services of an Akron based firm Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping citizens fight against big businesses with deep pockets.
Thank you Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services!

Please donate today. Thank you for your support.

                             UPDATE - 19 Sep 17  

Stone mining operations in Ohio must meet Federal, state and local regulations. 

In Clark County, mining companies are mandated to:

--  Submit a mining application to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Mineral Resources (ODNR) for review and approval.

On July 13, 2017 ODNR approved Enon Sand and Gravel’s (ES&G) application. Twenty-one acres of previously mined land were merged with 398 acres of uunmine d farmland, blasting was approved and permission granted to mine 60 ft deeper to max depth of 140 feet. 

--  Meet the Clark County Board of Zoning Appeals for a “conditional use” approval to mine aggregates from the land. The BZA hearing gives affected residents the opportunity to present their concerns to the Board members. It's the opportunity CAM members worked toward. 

BAMM!!!! The same day ES&G was notified of the approval from ODNR it filed a lawsuit in Federal Court AGAINST the Clark County Commissioners and the Clark County Zoning Administrator, Thomas Hale!!! ES&G is protesting Clark County’s requirement to meet the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) for a “conditional use” permit!

Do you think ES&G is aware that the quarry will have a profound detrimental affect on the surrounding area and neighbors? More than likely! Do you think they care? Doesn't appear so! Greed often supersedes compassion.

But CAM is still very active in this fight by appealing ODNR’s decision and supporting the federal court case.

Locally more than 300 “NO QUARRY” signs have sprouted up in Mad River Township yards. Volunteers attended Enon’s Night Out on Aug 1 providing information, shirts and signs. More volunteers delivered nearly 800 flyers encouraging residents to attend the Community Meeting on Sunday, August 20, 2017 at 6 pm at Greenon High School.

On July 25, 2017 CAM representatives and concerned citizens attended the Clark County Commissioners’ meeting at the Clark County Fair to ask the commissioners, RIchard Lohnes, Lowell McGlothin and Melanie Flax Wilt, for their continued support to which we received a resounding “YES”!

ES&G has taken this fight to a higher level! And we are prepared to continue to fight!

But we can’t win this battle without an attorney and attorneys are expensive! YOU DONATION IS NEEDED NOW MORE THAN EVER!

Help us save our water and wells.
Help us save our wetlands and springs.
Help us keep our community safe from the increased road traffic, noise and air pollution.

Thank you for supporting our cause!

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From the beginning- 

On 21 April 2017 the Ohio Department of Natural Resources will determine if a deep stone quarry can be started in an area with 300+ homes and farms. The donated money will be used for legal fees, hiring a hydrologist (water specialist) and public education (flyers, postage, advertising in local newspapers).

In March 2017 the citizens of Mad River Township, Ohio (located near Yellow Springs, Ohio and Wright Patterson Air Force Base) learned of the intent of Enon Sand and Gravel, LLC to put a deep limestone quarry mine on approximately 398 acres of farmland. IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT to the proposed quarry location is a mix of homes, farms and small businesses and the local high school.  It's an area where wildlife and birds are abundant. 

Why are we concerned???? 

- The groundwater (our DRINKING water) will be drained and then pumped out so the limestone can be mined. This deep drilling will effect the water wells of 200 homes and 40+ businesses.

-  For the next 40+ years mine wastewater and silt will be continually dumped into Mud Run, a subsidiary of the Mad River Watershed. 

- A toxic mix of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil (ANFO) will be used to blast the large limestone formations into manageable sized rocks. With the blasting comes concerns of chemical contamination, noise and dust pollution and structural damage to adjacent houses and buildings. 

- Heavy machinery in the quarry and 10,000 - 12,000 trucks per year on our 2 lane country road translate into the potential for air, soil and noise pollution. Diesel fuel and antifreeze spills can injure or kill wildlife.  The increased truck traffic on our 2 lane, hilly, curvy, country road will increase the potential for accidents and add enormous load strain on our newly paved road. 

Shouldn't all citizens have access to safe, clean and plentiful drinking water? PLEASE help the CAM-MRT save this lovely piece of farmland and woods from becoming an environmental disaster!

Thank you SO much! Every contribution is needed and appreciated. 

All money donated to Citizens Against Mining - Mad River Township goes directly toward stopping the quarry.

Organizer and beneficiary

CAM - MRT
Organizer
Springfield, OH
Bonnie Rizzo
Beneficiary

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