Tomorrow afternoon, the LaSalle County Board will vote on a resolution to place a temporary moratorium on new silica sand mining operations. The county is currently working to update its Comprehensive Plan, a document they regularly rely upon to make land-use decisions. The moratorium will not only (temporarily) stop new mines from going in, but will also allow community members to weigh in on the plan revision and future zoning restrictions that protect unique and special places in the area. That’s the good news.
Unfortunately, the resolution will not retroactively change past land-use decisions, particularly one that involves a 24-hour, 7-days-a-week, open-pit silica mine next to Illinois’ most-visited state park. Although the moratorium will not stop the mine adjacent to Starved Rock State Park, if passed, it could open a constructive dialogue about the implications of widespread silica mining on land use, public health, and the environment. If you live in LaSalle County, and you’re concerned about the impacts of silica mining, tell your local elected officials to vote in favor of the moratorium.
**Updated on April 12, 2013:
Temporary moratorium passes!
The Times: Environmentalists laud county sand mine moratorium (April 12, 2013)
