Sierra Club To Help Fight Against Quarry On Butler Mountain

CLAY, AL — A proposed rock quarry at Jefferson County's highest peak is meeting opposition from residents in Clay, and the Alabama Chapter of the Sierra Club has now joined the fight against the quarry. An al.com report said the proposed Vulcan Materials quarry includes plots of land on Butler Mountain, as well as nearby Foster and Praytor Mountains.

Local opposition to the quarry began in October, and Clay resident Vicki Carroll — now the Clay Quarry Opposition Team Leader for the Sierra Club Alabama Chapter — has helped lead the charge.

"We think quarries are great for state and have been historically, but there’s a right place and a wrong place for a quarry," Carroll told al.com. "And Clay is a wrong place for a quarry."

The area occupies Jefferson County’s two highest peaks, among others. The source water created by runoff supports the Birmingham drinking water supply and feeds several watersheds including the Cahaba River watershed, the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River, Turkey Creek Nature Preserve, and the Coosa River watershed, according to the Sierra Club.

The Sierra Club has posted a video about the area and the proposed quarry:

A spokesperson for Vulcan Materials told al.com the company is still evaluating the site and has not made a final decision on the quarry.

Read more about the proposed quarry in Clay on al.com.