THELEN MINE FACT SHEET

WHAT THIS IS ABOUT: Thelen Sand and Gravel is proposing to place a sand and gravel mine in Randall Township between Highway C and F fronted along Highway KD of about 450 acres, to operate for at least 15 years.

ISSUES CONCERNING THIS PROPOSAL:

• Randall is a quiet, rural-atmosphere bedroom community with no heavy industry. The mine does not fit into the community or its goals or needs.
• Randall residents surveyed overwhelmingly support maintaining rural quiet character of our community.
• Sand and Gravel mining creates serious air pollution, dust, silica and PM 10 and PM 25 particulate matter. This causes extreme health problems, particularly for young children and the elderly. PM10 is associated with reduced lung capacity, increased respiratory infections, asthma, emphysema, and premature death. Silica causes silicosis, which causes pneumonia-type illnesses.
• Sand and Gravel mining creates substantial noise. Destroying the peace and quiet that is the main attraction of this area for the residents.
• Sand and Gravel mining creates traffic and ruins roads. The roads in this area are already under pressure and congested. The added traffic cannot be handled.
• Sand and Gravel mining disturbs the water table and can affect residential wells.
• Sand and Gravel mining creates vibration which can damage walls and foundations of homes.
• Sand and Gravel mining reduces property values. The residents of this community have paid very high prices for homes because of the community values of peace, quiet and rural setting. This leads to high property taxes and high interest payments. Realtors estimate that between 20-50% of the value of the property will be lost if the mine goes in based on their experience. This is the biggest single investment for most families and represents their retirement funds. If the values go down too far, the mortgage will exceed the value and cause residents to lose their homes.
• Thelen bought the land as A-1 Agricultural Preserve over 30 years ago and knew that it was zoned for remaining Agricultural. Thelen has received preferential tax treatment on this land all this time and has no right to unjust enrichment by conversion to M-3 Mining zone at the expense of hundreds of local homeowners who will see their values decline.
• Thelen has over the years promised to leave this land permanently agricultural. A change in zoning or conditional use at this time unfairly harms all people who have bought or built homes in the community with the expectation of consistency of purpose.
• Most of the sand and gravel mined will be sold to Illinois. Thelen is a private business, not a community service. The local community gets no benefit but takes all the down-sides of this mine.
• Part of the property contains surface water and wetlands. Mining could pollute the water table and harm plants and animals in the wetlands and migratory birds who depend on this open space for survival.

• Sand and Gravel mining is a non-conforming use which is not encouraged in Smart Growth planning or in the zoning ordinances due to its disruptive nature to the community and the values of other residents.

WHAT CAN YOU DO? Contact Gravel Is The Pits or go to our website to find out what action your neighbors are already taking. Together we can save our community.