OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – A proposed 422-acre gravel mine isn’t sitting well with the residents of Oakland County, who decided to protest outside a board meeting on Tuesday night.
“Everyone is against this. The entire community is against this,” said a resident who simply wants to be known as Jenna.
“This pit will be an environmental disaster. It will be a sound disaster. There are just so many things wrong. There’s no benefit to our community,” said resident Tim Vetter.
The mining area will comprise only 213 acres out of the 422 acres, and the extraction of gravel and other materials in the Springfield Township area is expected to take over 20 years, divided into five distinct phases.
Many are worried about the long-term health effects over those two decades.
“The silica dust that gets kicked up in the mining process can travel up to 5 miles. It’s been measured at unsafe distances and, especially for kids. I have little kids. They’re extremely vulnerable to this silica dust, and it causes cancer,” Jenna said.
In a packed meeting on June 24, 2025, with standing room only, council members were able to hear directly from those behind the project, with “The Levy Group” explaining their plan.
However, township officials want to learn more before a final decision is made.
“All we have to do is have our planning commission and our board from Springfield Township reject the special land use permit. That’s all they have to do,” said Vetter.
The township is seeking a third-party environmental firm to assess the project before a final decision is made.