Hello, World!
United Against the Quarry
A.C.T. Morrisville supports the coalition of neighbors and residents standing up against the proposed quarrying of silica next to their homes.
The Act 250 hearing is closed, but the fight is not over. As we move toward the Environmental Court, we are raising funds to provide the legal defense our community deserves.
About A.C.T. Morrisville
A.C.T. Morrisville is a supportive organization standing behind a small coalition of Morrisville citizens united against the proposed quarrying of silica in the residential cornfields along Laporte Road.
While A.C.T. Morrisville itself was not a party to the Act 250 review, we fully support the neighbors who intervened. These residents have spent four years and countless volunteer hours fighting to ensure that development in our community is safe, legal, and compatible with our Town Plan.
Several years ago, a developer purchased 437 acres with plans to develop 89 acres into the largest industrial park in Northern Vermont. Included in this plan was a massive "grading" project: a ten-year quarry operation to create just three building lots.
Quarrying is fundamentally incompatible with the residential character defined in our Town Plan. Through years of relentless effort, the neighbors assembled a team of hired professionals and dedicated volunteers to document the severe risks to public health, local aquifers, and wildlife.
See It For Yourself
The Situation on Laporte Road
A short documentary by Aynsley Floyd, who donated her time and expertise to help share the reality of what is happening in our neighborhood.
The Industrial Park Proposal
A short overview describing the scale of the proposed industrial park and the "grading" project.
The 100% Silica Risk
"Newly fractured silica is very dangerous as it makes new chemical bonds that are deadly."
During the discovery process about a year ago, the neighbors insisted the stone be sampled. With an asbestos mine in the visible distance, the possibility of dangerous veins was real. Three samples were sent to the lab. All three came back as 100% silica.
Inhaling silica dust can cause silicosis, cancer, COPD, and kidney disease. Despite this, the original application contained zero mentions of "silica," "quartz," or "crystalline silica."
The Impact
Tons of silica extraction proposed over 10 years.
Gallons of daily water usage (drawing and flushing) — equivalent to 15 gallons per person per day.
Daily traffic trips (in and out), plus heavy haul trucks on Route 100.
Acres of topsoil removal required before hauling load after load of silica gravel up and down Route 100.
Key Figures from the Record
Every figure below was drawn from the application record, expert testimony, or regulatory documents entered into evidence.
Issues Raised by the Neighbors
The following issues were raised by the intervening neighbors and their experts during the Act 250 proceeding. Each is cited to its source document.
Public Health & Silica
The neighbors engaged Yale School of Medicine expert Dr. Carrie Redlich, who advises the stone industry on silica standards. She testified that the applicant's dust control plan — relying on water "as needed" with no defined frequency or winter protocol — was inadequate for a site with 100% crystalline silica.
Incompatible Zoning
The Morrisville Conservation Commission noted that excavation was planned within 34 feet of the property line. Section 485.5 of the Town Plan requires a 200-foot setback for quarrying activities to protect residential character.
Noise Modeling Errors
Independent expert Les Blomberg identified an 11-foot elevation error in the applicant's noise study, which effectively modeled the rock crusher as being underground. Corrected modeling showed noise levels would exceed Act 250 standards at 7 residences, not the 3 originally claimed.
Water & Endangered Species
Testimony established that a nearby private spring was excluded from baseline testing despite being within the interference zone. Furthermore, habitat for the grasshopper sparrow — a threatened species — was plowed and planted with corn between surveys, eliminating the habitat prior to the most recent wildlife review.
We Are Taking the Fight to Environmental Court
We have been supported to date entirely by volunteer work — many long days and nights over almost four years. Now, we must take the expertise needed to the next level. We are seeking your financial support to pay for the legal defense of the neighbors standing up for our health, our water, and our community character. Every dollar supports independent expert consultation and legal costs.
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Four Years of Volunteer Work
The neighbors who intervened have dedicated nearly four years of their lives to this fight. They've done it on evenings and weekends, powered by their own time and their own money.
Environmental Court is the next chapter. The legal expertise required to defend their position at this level is beyond what volunteers alone can provide. Your support makes that defense possible.
Donate to the Legal Defense Fund →Lamoille County Permits
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