Letter to the Editor: The Community must come together to fight Drake Cement

I have not lived here in Williams for a long time, (I moved here in June 2015), but it was the beauty of Bill Williams Mountain and it surrounds along with the stunning Kaibab National Forest that brought my late husband and I here to Williams, where we built our home as permanent residents.

I live not far from the many mining claims from Drake Cement, being just north of the ones on the eastern face (I understand there are now more claims on the southwestern portion of Bill Williams Mountain). I am horrified at the thought of any company tearing up this forest with mining with the ensuing destruction to habitat, air quality, noise pollution, increased truck traffic on Perkinsville Road and very likely contamination to the watershed for the city, along with the ugly scar that mining would create, truly has me very upset and deeply concerned for our city of Williams. We know that mining, no matter what the company owners say or promise, is not what happens! There are always unintended consequences. And in this case, the natural beauty of the area, the flora and fauna, the water and this town, I believe, are all in danger if mining is approved.

There is no way that the mining should be allowed to proceed. Too much is at stake to our community and the environment. Key is the potential harm to the watershed to our city. Good water is in short supply, and with the ongoing drought, we need our watershed intact and without contaminants from a mining operation just a few miles from town.

I have written many of our Federal, State and local politicians to ask them to help us fight these mining claims and the antiquated law that is allowing for these claims. We must, as a community, come together and fight to keep our forest, our mountain and our water.

Elizabeth A. LaGro