Mining Agreement Is Far From Concrete

A hardfought agreement limiting the time and way gravel can be extracted on the Rathdrum Prairie appears to be buried as deep as the rock itself.

County commissioners have scheduled a hearing for public comment on an unsigned agreement that would heavily restrict Interstate Concrete in mining of gravel on 230 acres near Boekel Road. But the agreement being circulated for public review is an earlier version that’s more favorable to the gravel company.

Last year, previous commissioners repeatedly knocked heads with Interstate attorneys over everything from hours of operation, noise and dust abatement to the length of time mining would be allowed in the area. The negotiations were designed to ensure Interstate was profitable and neighbors were not unduly affected by the company’s work.

In January, the same day new commissioners Dick Compton and Dick Panabaker took office, Interstate’s attorneys urged them to toss out that document.

Commissioners have not publicly said they would, but are seeking public comment on the 1993 proposal.

Commissioners reviewed that version in March. Since then, they have said they would withhold opinions until after the public hearing.

“A lot of people say ‘What are you going to do? Where do you stand?”’ Compton said at the time. “I tell them we haven’t even looked at it yet.”

Neighbors of the pit complain a three-hour hearing, now scheduled for May 20, won’t leave enough time to convince commissioners the stricter agreement is necessary.

“I think we’re all expecting the hammer to come down,” said mining opponent Kathy Gill, who lives above the pits on the rimrock. “What they have done is let the attorneys rehash the old arguments.”