‘It’s not going to be good’: Lancaster County residents try to stop proposed clay mine

DAVEY, Neb. (KLKN) – Some Lancaster County residents are upset after finding out that a cement company has applied to buy a large piece of land in their area.

Ash Grove Cement Company is the applicant for the 112-acre plot near North 27th Street and Agnew Road, which used to be a residence.

The application letter says Ash Grove will be mining clay, which will be used to make cement.

The company plans to mine a total of 13 million tons of clay over the next 30 to 40 years.

Jim Lamken said he – and others who live in the area – only found out about the plans for the land after seeing a “Zoning Action” sign, which was placed in the ditch.

Lamken lives next to the property, so he did some digging and found more information on what Ash Grove intends to use it for.

It has brought up major concerns for Lamken and others in the area.

“If they approve this, it’s not going to be good at all,” he said. “In 40 years, my property value will drop out.”

Leaford Burnett, who also lives in the area, said the mine would be along a road that many take to get to and from Raymond Central High School.

“The traffic on this road in the morning and afternoon is full of high school students,” Burnett said.

But both men said their biggest concern is the water in the area.

Many homeowners rely on wells as their water source.

“I’ve heard that if they run into one of the water tables, you can lose your water on your well,” Lamken said.

Channel 8 reached out to the applicant, but Ash Grove declined to comment until the public hearing in front of the Lincoln/Lancaster County Planning Commission on Oct. 18.

Lamken has put together a petition from residents in the area, which he plans to discuss in the hearing.

Burnett said it’s just not the right place for a mine.

“This is a rural setting,” he said. “It’s not an industrial setting, not a mining setting. It’s a farming community.”