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submitted by Linda Knox, Irish Hills Concerned Citizens
Watkins Lake State Park and County Preserve is known for its scenic lake, rolling hills, and mix of forests and wetlands that draw hikers, paddlers, birders, and southeast Michigan residents seeking quiet outdoor space. A proposed gravel mine on land bordering the park, however, has prompted growing concern about how industrial activity could change that setting.
At a February 7 community meeting held in Brooklyn by Irish Hills Concerned Citizens (IHCC), Andy Buchsbaum, a Mud Lake home owner, environmental attorney and IHCC’s vice president, described plans by American Aggregates/Levy to mine up to 625 acres of a 900-acre parcel adjacent to the park and preserve. The proposal includes leveling existing hills, constructing 15- to 20-foot berms, and operating an aggregate processing facility near Watkins Lake. Mining operations could continue for roughly 20 years and generate an average of 18 truck trips per hour, running as many as 13 hours a day, more than five days a week…