TOWN OF FARMINGTON, Wis. — The site of a future sand mine in Washington County is sparking conversation among neighbors.
One person reached out to TMJ4, asking the news team to look into it after the mining company applied to use the land from a farmer. The mine already operates in the Farmington area and is hoping to move about a mile away.
The proposed farm land is a field located between 7660 Trading Post Trail and 7561 Trading Post Trail, West Bend, Wi 53090.
"It hasn't been a problem yet," Peter Muth said. "It's going to be a couple of years of them mining it, then after that, return to farmland."
He lives kitty corner from the farm field where HH&J Aggregate is proposing to mine.
Not everyone agrees.
"Do I want mining? No," one Town of Farmington resident said. "I don't want the noise, and I don't want the pollution. Yeah, they're going to supposedly put the land back the way it's supposed to. But, all the pollution from the dust, all of the noise that's going to be happening back here, no—I don't want it."
Another viewer emailed TMJ4 News wanting Washington County reporter Marcus Aarsvold to cover the story, saying their subdivision, separated only by woods and the farmland, doesn't want the town board to approve the permit to mine.
TMJ4 Team:
Wanted to make you aware of a local topic of concern for your viewership in Washington County – Farmington.
Recently purchased land owned by Golden E Dairy is engaging Town of Farmington Board for approval/allowances to mine sand for 3-5 – undetermined year term on land that has for the past 150 yrs + been utilized as standard Agricultural use land. This mining operation comes at grave concerns for neighboring land and resident property owners: noise, pollutants, erosion, road deterioration, wetland disturbance, wildlife disruption, and more.
Possibly, worth the networks time to send a reporter to cover developing story of this local farmer/alliances with the county/town vs the majority contest of granting this conditional use permitting.. land is zoned agricultural not conditional use industrial mining… residents have purchased their homes in this rural area not to have it disrupted with for the financial windfall of said farmer.
"From what I understand about the dust and pollution," one Town of Farmington resident said. "I don't want my house filthied up or my lungs filled with that kind of stuff," said another resident."
TMJ4 News called HH&J Aggregate owner Harrison Batzler, who said he's heard the community's concerns.
Watch: Town of Farmington community shares different opinions about future sand mining
"I plan to keep dust down, to keep all of that down where the landowner can farm as much as he can," he said. "It'll all go right back to farmland when I'm done."
He said it's different from what some people think of when it comes to mining, meaning with sand, he's not going to make the same loud noises.
"There's no crushing, there's not blasting," Batzler said. "And there are hardly any rocks in it."
He said 100% of the sand mined here would go to farmers to use for bedding for their animals.
The Town of Farmington will listen to public comment at their Feb. 10 meeting, then consider approving or denying the mining permit.
Marcus,
We only conducted a public hearing at Tuesdays meeting, there were no plans to take action that evening. We wanted to hear from the public, get questions clarified and research anything that may need more information before the board considered any action.
We have a second opportunity for public hearing comments scheduled for our Feb. 10th Town Board meeting, following that public hearing the board may consider action on the conditional use permit application.
I will share that the applicant has received their shoreline zoning permit from Washington County and their Site Reclamation Plan is in final draft with the County. They have met the county's requirements for the reclamation plan, but to avoid issuance of any addendums, the county is awaiting any changes that may come from any conditions the town applies in a potential conditional use permit approval.
Keep in mind, there are several higher forms of government that this type of mining operations is also governed by.
Including -Washington County Land Use, WDNR, MSHA, etc.
In any case, when a town approves any CUP, the CUP operation must follow state and federal law/requirements that are applicable.
State records from the DNR show only two sand mines in southeast Wisconsin, in Racine and Jefferson counties. However, about three dozen sand mines operate in central and western Wisconsin.
According to the DNR, demand for sand exploded in 2014 because it's used in "fracking" for underground oil and gas. The Washington County mine in question would not be used for that — it'll only be used for farmers' bedding for their cows.
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