The problem started more than a year ago when Alcoa requested to expand its operations at Liberty Mine. The expansion would be just a few hundred feet away from a new and developing subdivision in the outskirts of Boonville.

Homeowners in that neighborhood were less than thrilled with what the mines would bring to their small and quiet community. They were worried about quality of life and the safety of the many children in the neighborhood.

The homeowners created ‘Save Our Homes’ to help with the fight. They wanted more seismic monitors, an increased blast radius and other protections like insurance.

City officials in Boonville seemed to have heard their plight and ended up passing an ordinance that restricted mining within three miles of city limits. Alcoa tried to fight the ordinance, saying that Boonville couldn’t make ordinances that directly effect other jurisdictions.

All of the problems are now a thing of the past. Over the last couple of months folks with Save Our Homes and Boonville officials met with Alcoa and Liberty Mine officials. They were able to come to an agreement on many of the issues the homeowners brought up. As well, Boonville’s mining ordinance has been taken off the books.

Before the project moves forward a consent decree has to be entered by Warrick County Superior Court 2.

The product mined at Liberty will directly to fueling Alcoa’s Warrick Power Plant. It is unclear when the planned expansion will go into effect.