by Jillian Ditch Anslow, B.S., M.A.T.
STE. GENEVIEVE – The residents of Sainte Genevieve County fear for their quality of life since becoming informed of the new silica sand mining facility to be installed on Highway 32 on 249 beautiful acres. The residents are banning together united by their concerns for their childrens’ health and futures, their livelihoods working with agriculture, and the decreased quality of life that the increased traffic, noise, and pollution will surely bring. Many residents are requesting a public meeting be held with the Department of Natural Resources before the final permits are administered. A poll with almost 250 participants currently shows that over 95% of residents in the Sainte Genevieve County area oppose the installation of this mine.
Tressa Kelting, a resident whose home is across Highway 32 from the proposed entrance for the mine says, “We love where we live and are devastated at the prospect of this mine. We all just want to live in quiet peace without worrying about our health and that of loved ones.”
According to Dr. Wayne L. Feyereisn, chronic silicosis is more likely to be a public health threat than an occupational hazard. (1) Few states have set standards for how much silica sand dust is allowed to be found in the air. Texas’s standard at the PM 4.0 level is 0.27ug/m3 for cancer risk. There is no standard in Missouri for allowable levels of silica sand dust. (1) The Minnesota Department of Health recognizes several public health risks associated with silica sand mining including diseases associated with increased levels of particulate matter in the air. (2)
Polyacrylamide is commonly used at sand processing facilities and breaks down into the known neurotoxin and probable carcinogen acrylamide through UV light exposure, heat, and force. (1) The allowable standard of acrylamide in drinking water per the EPA is currently zero. (3) The potential for acrylamide to contaminate the nearby wells of residents must be examined and studied further before a mining facility is installed.
The Minnesota Department of Health acknowledges the potential for contamination of groundwater and impacts on nearby wells where silica sand mines are installed. (2) There is a potential for groundwater to become more acidic resulting in an unpleasant taste and odor and an increase in staining. Nearby wells will be at an increased risk of drying up. (4)
Midwest Environmental Advocates state that this type of mine is typically “boom-and-bust” leaving residents of the beautiful area to deal with the aftermath. (4) The mine would negatively affect the tourism industry in the county considering its close proximity to the lovely Hawn State park and nearby wildlife conservation area.
The people in the area wonder about the environmental impacts of this mine. Surely, this will have a negative effect on native species including white-tailed deer which are hunted recreationally by most families who live in the area. Residents wonder if there will be an Environmental Impact Assessment done to give a statement addressing the effects on wildlife and endangered species in the area.
Rural areas like Sainte Genevieve County can quickly become industrial areas with the noise, light, and pollution that silica sand mining brings. (4) The quiet rural community has safety concerns over the potential for 70 loads of sand leaving the facility each day by truck or train given the limited sight lines on this area of Highway 32. They question what this means for tourism, school buses, pulling out of their driveways, and even the simple task of getting their mail.
Chris Petty, whose property is adjacent to the railroad tracks opposite the mine says, “My wife and I had a once in a lifetime opportunity to buy 76 acres by selling our first house in a quiet neighborhood in Bloomsdale to purchase the property of our dreams and build our custom home here. We made all these decisions based on the idea we would be living a peaceful life with our children in our own paradise. Now we have the threat of heavy equipment, blasting, increased traffic, railroad noise, loss in property value, and very real possibility of various lung related problems for our young children. The railroad tracks are all that will separate us from this mine. I truly feel if this mine operation is allowed to go through it will greatly alter the lives of everyone living nearby.”
Constant noise, light, and vibrations are not why residents have made their homes in this area. They fear what this will mean for the foundations of their homes, their wells, and their property values. Sainte Genevieve County residents understandably have concerns over air quality, water quality, economic impacts, and decreased quality of life. But mostly, they fear for their children’s futures. There is no way of fully understanding the long-term impacts on these young children’s health as they grow and develop while breathing the polluted air that the mine will cause. The people of Sainte Genevieve County are uniting against the installation of the mine to save their homes and their children from an unfortunate fate.
References
- Feyereisn, W. L. (2013). Industrial silica sand mining and its potential public health risks. MINNESOTA MEDICINE , 31–32. https://doi.org/https://www.mnmed.org/MMA/media/Minnesota-Medicine-Magazine/Commentary-Feyereisn.pdf
- Silica Sand Mining and health – eh: Minnesota department of health. Silica Sand Mining and Health – EH: Minnesota Department of Health. (n.d.). Retrieved April 3, 2022, from https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/hazardous/topics/silica.html#well
- National Primary Drinking Water Regulations. United States Environmental Protection Agency. March 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2022, from https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/national-primary-drinking-water-regulations