Capital update: Working to Protect Homeowners from Mining Operations

By State Rep. Randy Randleman

An issue I’ve been working on for some time on behalf of my constituents is mining near homes. I’ve been joined in this effort by Sen. Roger Thompson, and we’ve been working with the Oklahoma Department of Mines to address our constituents’ concerns.

Sen. Thompson and I recently attended a meeting that was very beneficial in that it brought together a number of people from different entities that are either involved in or affected by mining. Attending were representatives from the Department of Mines, the Oklahoma Aggregates Association, several industry representatives and area homeowners.

At this meeting, we heard from several homeowners who’ve purchased property at Lake Eufaula between Porum Landing and the dam site. This is in Muskogee County in my House district. These are people who spent their whole life saving to buy property at the lake to enjoy the beauty of this area. Their hope, I’m sure, was a nice, quiet getaway.

Now, they are having to contend with mining operations that have followed a mineral stream to within less than 50 feet of their homes. This is because state law currently allows mines to operate just one and a half times the distance from a private residence as the depth of a mine shaft. If the shaft is 25 feet deep, for instance, the mine can be as close as 47 feet from a private home.

Imagine the dust and the noise of this operation. That’s coupled with the burden of heavy trucks tearing up area roads. This cost will fall on local governments.

While the mining groups are not breaking any current laws, they are still creating a headache for local residents. Sen. Thompson and I plan to run legislation that will change state statute to better protect homeowners and residential areas. But the meeting was helpful in the short term as we were able to discuss several temporary solutions for homeowners, such as later start times for mining work crews.

Mining is a key industry in our state, so it’s important we look at all parties that might be affected, and ensure we’re being fair to all in any policy we adopt. That’s why meetings like this recent one are so helpful. We heard from state departments that spoke about current state law and how locations for mines are determined as well as from others who might be affected by future law changes.

I believe part of my job as a state representative is to help my constituents address challenging issues like this. If I can be of help to you in any way, please contact me at (405) 557-7375 or Randy.Randleman@OKHouse.gov.

Rep. Randy Randleman represents District 15 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, which includes portions of Haskell, LeFlore, McIntosh, Muskogee, Pittsburg and Sequoyah counties. Randleman can be reached at 405-557-7375.