The Board of Will County voted March 20 to expand an existing quarry near District 202’s Liberty Elementary School as well as several homes.
Artem Zakharov, owner of the already existing quarry, was given permission by the board to expand the property in a close vote. With the approval, plans to begin construction can happen any day.
The board’s decision was, for the most part, not met with praise and approval. Instead, several individuals expressed their objections to the plan. Despite their efforts, the quarry’s proposed expansion went through.
Organizers insist that the new quarry is safe, and that residents have nothing to worry about, however, that does not make up for the massive disruption it will bring to hundreds of people’s daily lives.
What many take issue with, besides the obvious environmental concerns, is the expanded quarry’s proximity to Liberty Elementary School, as well as many families given its position near multiple neighborhoods.
“Along with environmental devastation, this quarry will put hundreds of families and children in danger at the cost of very minimal job creation,” said James Drover, Plainfield East alumni.
Drover, along with several other current PEHS students (Students Against Quarry Expansion), have spread awareness regarding the expansion of the quarry. Petitions, social media, and several other means have been used to inform others about the expansion.
The constant noise of concrete and asphalt blasting and the smell of sulfur is more than enough to disrupt the learning environment for the hundreds of students attending Liberty Elementary, as well as the families living in the surrounding neighborhood.
Many believe that expanding a pre-existing quarry is an act of immense greed and done in extremely poor taste, especially considering its position within 200 feet of an elementary school.
“The Board’s unwillingness to listen to the concerns of the constituents they represent is a blatant misuse of their representative power,” said Drover.
However, all hope is not lost with the board’s March 20 decision. On May 15, the Will County Board will have another meeting, at which organizers such as Drover have been urging people to attend and demand that their voices be heard.
A vote to rescind the previous decision would mean that the quarry’s construction would not go through.
“We are demanding that at the next board meeting…they propose and pass a motion to rescind their decision and stop this dangerous quarry expansion,” said Drover.
