Help us make sure your voice is heard.

You can join the conversation by following the public Facebook group STOP the Atherton Quarry

Neighbors have come together to stand in unity against a proposed quarry operation in a populated residential area just east of the township of Sugar Creek in what was recently Unincorporated Jackson County. Generations of families stand to lose more than just the peaceful countryside backdrop of their properties. Their health, safety, home equity and businesses are all at risk of being irreversibly damaged. Residents are asking for a call to action to help hold city officials accountable for being responsible neighbors as the decision to greenlight this quarry operation could impact water for over 250,000 Jackson County residents. Will you stand with neighbors?

Why should I get involved?

• Because you could play a role in protecting endangered plant and animal wildlife as well as the human residents from exposure to toxic limestone dust and invasive noise pollution from open blast mining.
• Because these local decisions could affect many communities outside of Sugar Creek. Particularly the Independence neighbors who reside in Salem East, a dense neighborhood less that two miles from the project site who currently lack representation on this issue.
• Because 40,000 commercial trucks will be added to local traffic causing widespread damage and congestion.

Risks locals should consider should the quarry be approved for operation:

• Open blast mining can cause cracks in cement leading to costly damage to the foundations of homes.
• Invasive commercial trucks will drastically deteriorate the conditions of local roads and air quality by spreading dust containing known cancer causing agents beyond the permitted boundaries for this operation.
• Residents who depend on a well for their water source were informed by a representative of this project during a public hearing on 9/16/2021 that the company had no intention of surveying wells prior to this development. Citizens are still waiting to hear answers regarding how they will be ensured their water levels will not drop or become contaminated.
• The tax revenue rates from this proposal and additional community benefits have still not been disclosed in detail to residents.
• Locals have not been ensured that the invested interests will be held to better business practices by the city.

The easiest way to show your support is signing the petition online. Taking the next step would be to share the petition with friends and family far and wide. Our goal is to capture as many local signatures as possible but it greatly helps our exposure when the wider world sees our mission. You can also share your opinion directly through our Blog. Neighborhood Coalition volunteers are serving on committees to divide responsibilities. Our Social Media Committee is working hard to provide community outreach on the issue and compile a database of questions and concerns to deliver to elected representatives.

Sugar Creek has a long standing history for being a community that looks out for its own. But residents, from all generations, from natives near and transplants traveled, have come together in unison not only to fight for each other, but also to ask their elected representatives to be good neighbors to those outside of Sugar Creek.