‘No going back:’ People in north Alabama town unite to fight proposed rock quarry

The peaceful, cattle-dotted fields of Warrenton in Marshall County are currently the center of a heated community standoff. Scattered among the sprawling pastures near the Appalachian Mountains, residents have posted “No Quarry” and “Stop the Quarry” signs as they push back against a proposed industrial site at 7442 Warrenton Road in Guntersville.

Community Pushback

A wave of concerned citizens from the Red Hill community recently converged on a public comment session held by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) to voice fierce opposition to a plan submitted by Reed Materials, LLC. The company is seeking air and water permits to establish a rock quarry at the site.

During the session, Dodi Moseley of the Air Division and Robert Glover of the Water Division presented findings suggesting that the proposed project would not violate state or federal quality standards. Justin Reed, founder of Reed Materials, LLC, defended the project by promising to adhere to ADEM standards and claiming the operation would create roughly 10 local jobs.

However, the local community remains unconvinced. Out of those who spoke during the public comment period, only one individual—a retired quarry worker—spoke in favor of the project.

Health and Safety Concerns

Residents highlighted that the area is already saturated with similar industrial operations, noting that the C. A. Langford Co. Inc. quarry is just six miles away and another site operated by Vulcan Material Co. sits within 20 miles. The primary anxiety for neighbors involves the 30 homes situated in close proximity to the proposed site.

Many families expressed deep concern regarding respirable crystalline silica and limestone dust. Homeowner and great-grandfather Randy Whitaker shared a poignant plea at the hearing: "What I want to know is, with this dust, are my great‑grand girls going to have to wear a mask to get on the swing set, and is there going to be a buzzer that goes out to tell them to put on their helmet, or to get down when they blast?"

Beyond health risks, residents fear that frequent blasting could result in flyrock, damaged building foundations, and a significant decrease in property values, rendering homes unlivable or impossible to sell.

Environmental and Historical Stakes

The opposition extends to the surrounding ecosystem. Locals are worried that polluted runoff could contaminate tributaries like Shiloh Branch and Browns Creek, eventually threatening Lake Guntersville. Furthermore, the area is home to diverse wildlife, including heron rookeries, endangered Gray bats, and a documented Bald Eagle nest.

“When we damage our environment, sometimes there’s no going back,” said resident Jodice Shelton. “When animals become extinct, there’s no going back.”

The concerns also cover historical preservation, as the site is situated near the Fry Cemetery—the final resting place of a Revolutionary War veteran—and the historic Brown’s Village, a former Cherokee settlement.

Next Steps

Community members are calling for a more rigorous vetting process, demanding a full environmental review, a hydrogeologic evaluation, a downstream water impact assessment, and a study on how the quarry will affect local traffic. ADEM is now tasked with reviewing all comments to determine if technical concerns warrant a denial of the permits requested by Reed Materials, LLC.