Letter to the Editor: StoneCo permit renewal in conflict with Freedom Township’s master plan

January 20, 2026

To the Manchester Mirror Editor, 

Residents of Freedom Township are increasingly concerned about the renewal of StoneCo Aggregate’s excavation permit, and it deserves public attention! This is not a debate about being “anti-business.” It is about whether continued industrial excavation aligns with the long-term vision our community has adopted. 

Freedom Township’s Master Plan, approved in 2015 after public input and formal hearings, clearly prioritizes protecting groundwater, wetlands, agriculture, and the rural quality of life that defines our township. Most residents rely on wells for drinking water, not public systems. Clean, stable groundwater is not a convenience here, it is essential to daily life, public health, and property value. Any activity that risks altering groundwater or flow patterns must be approached with extreme caution. 

State and county environmental maps show that the proposed excavation area overlaps with hydric soils and wetlands that are connected to groundwater. These are not isolated puddles; they are part of an interconnected natural system that manages water, reduces flooding, and supports wildlife. Excavation in such areas can permanently alter how water moves across the landscape. Once wetlands or groundwater systems are disrupted, restoration is difficult and often impossible. 

The township’s own Extraction Ordinance recognizes these risks and places the burden squarely on the operator to prove that mining will not harm water resources, wetlands, neighboring properties, or overall public welfare. That burden exists for a reason. When the potential consequences for wells, degraded land, truck traffic, noise, and dust, uncertainty alone should be enough to pause or deny renewal. 

Freedom Township has worked intentionally to preserve its environmental resources and quiet rural character. Residents are simply asking the township to uphold the Master Plan and ordinances already in place. Our policies are designed to protect not just today’s interests, but the township’s future. Once these resources are compromised, they may never be reclaimed. 

Sincerely,

Vincent D’Ettorre
Freedom Township 

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and a founder of the Manchester Mirror.