Strip Mining West of the Urban Development Boundary? By Geniusofdespair

The Face of the rock miners, Kerri Barsh of Greenberg Traurig (representing several national rock mining companies), with County Commissioner Lynda Bell

As you merrily drive along the Florida Turnpike in Central and North Miami Dade County you pass a lot of foliage on the west side of the road. You really don't know what is going on back there behind the foliage. Once in a while you get a glimpse of a lake (really a rock pit) from your car, but you don't know of the extent of of the Rock Mining being conducted on the other side of The Urban Development Boundary, west of the turnpike. I am going to show you here!!! It was originally thought by some environmentalists (Karsten Rist) that the rock pits would create a buffer from development. No one knew the monster they were creating near our West well fields serving over a million people with drinking water. The pink underwear article (link below) gave us a glimpse of the danger.

You all have some idea how much rock is leaving our rock mines as you wait for those long, long, trains mostly at night. Every night! Be aware of what is  going on.  The rock miners, many of them foreign companies (Cemex), are making a fortune on our rock and leaving great big holes in their place ripe for contamination. Here is picture gallery. KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND YOU!!! This is now happening on the way to the Florida Keys and Lynda Bell has great support from the rock miners down there.

The lake with the arrow is below. It gives you some idea of the size of these rock pits.

 

See lake belt above with this lake pointed out.

Here is what it looks like beyond the foliage:

Blasting, creating giant holes that can contaminate our well-field, that is what is going on West of the Florida Turnpike. And where is all that rock going on those trains? Ask yourself that?

Here is a very good paper on the Rock Mining issue from the Geological Society of America.

Also read Beneath the Pink Underwear. Very good article in New Times. DO NOT MISS IT. Gimleteye - aka Alan Farago - is quoted in this important article.