Senator Nickel pledges to stand with local activists calling for a delay in granting Wake Stone Corporation a controversial mining permit for land neighboring William B. Umstead State Park until a public hearing can be held.

RALEIGH, NC – Senator Wiley Nickel, State Senator for the 16th Senate District (Cary, Morrisville & NW Raleigh), expresses concerns regarding Wake Stone Corporation’s application for a mining permit modification request, saying:

“Public hearings are an imperative part of permitting procedures. They allow the public a chance to react to plans for new development and raise awareness of potentially disastrous environmental or social impacts. On April 8, in the midst of an international public health crisis,

Wake Stone Corporation filed a mining permit modification request with the state Division of Energy, Minerals, and Land Resources (DEMLR). The Corporation’s target: a controversial forested area neighboring William B. Umstead State Park. If construction moves forward, this pristine forest would be transformed into the first private rock quarry on public land in North Carolina.

Local activists and organizations have been fighting to prevent this polluting pit for years.

Quarry opponents, ranging from local residents to environmental activists and mountain bikers,

have expressed grave concerns regarding potential environmental, economic, and public health impacts should quarrying efforts proceed as planned. These concerns deserve to be considered in a public forum.

I respectfully urge DEMLR to delay consideration of the mining permit until a safe, in-person public hearing can be held. The COVID-19 pandemic should not be used as a backdoor for corporations to destroy North Carolina’s natural wonders.”

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