Opposition is growing to a proposal to develop a massive limestone quarry in the Northern Part of Dufferin County, just north of Shelbourne.
A local citizens group is opposed to the development warning that it will remove more than 6 thousand acres of prime agricultural land from production plus threaten the headwaters of both the Nottawasaga and Grand Rivers.
Dale Rutledge is the chair of the North Dufferin Agricultural and Community Task force and says the company assembling land is close to applying to the Township of Melancthon for a quarry licence.
He says the plan is to mine the limestone to a depth fof 200 feet below the water table and will have a huge negative impact on the ground water that flows out of this area.
Rutledge says the land in in question is top quality known as Honeywood Loam and the area provides 50 per cent of all potato crop requirements for the nearby Toronto market.
He says they want the Provincial Government to change its aggregate extraction policies sos they don’t over rule other environmentally sensitive and sustainable priorities.
Karen is a concerned resident of the Township and tells Bayshore Broadcasting news this proposed mine will be equal to or larger than the largest such mine in the world which is located in Rogers City Michigan.
The group has also made an application to Melancthon and Mulmur Townships and the Municipality of Grey Highlands to have this vegetable growing area protected and designated as Speciality Crop land.
Rutledge says so far the group has been disappointed in the lack of concern from local municipal politicians to the impact this quarry could have on the local environment.