Letter: She’s baffled by some locals’ insistence mine owns town

TO THE EDITOR: Response to May 16 letter by Dixie Brown:

I do not live in a mining town. I live in a beautiful river town on a scenic highway with natural beauty that is next to none. I am baffled by the insistence of some of the locals that the mine owns this town.

Mining in Maiden Rock has been present for many years. However, the mine used to be small, with just a few trucks hauling sand. The mine was bought by Fairmont Minerals, an industrial mining company, a few years ago. In the fall of 2010, they purchased hundreds of acres of land in the village limits with the intent to mine the bluffs surrounding the historic district. We grew alarmed. The mine claimed that they only planned to extend their reserves, so that they could continue mining at the current rate well into the future. When questioned about expansion, it was flatly denied. Just a few weeks later, they stated that they were going to double or triple their production.

I don’t object to the railroad, as I knew that it was here before I moved in. I do object to the railroad load-out noises that have increased as the mine has increased production.

I am sorry that you are so disturbed by the tourist cars and motorcycle traffic. They generally don’t leave my property covered in fine sand as they pass like the not-so-well covered sand trucks do, however.

We “newcomers” are tired of being demonized for improving run-down properties, paying a boatload of taxes and trying to protect the natural beauty of the place. I have heard it from others in the village: “Why would you move to a mining town if you don’t like the mine?”

Well, my answer stands. I don’t live in a mining town.

Tags: opinion, letters, business