Sunset Clause Court Case Update: The current Wake Stone Triangle Quarry adjacent to Umstead State Park had their original Mining Permit 92‐10 approved in 1981 with a 50-year Sunset Clause and protective Park and stream buffers.

After 50 years, in 2031, Wake Stone was to donate the pit to the State and all mining operations would cease. Wake Stone accepted permit renewals and modifications without objections to the Sunset Clause for 37 years. In 2018, without public notice, the Wake Stone Mining Permit was changed to eliminate the Sunset Clause, take out the undisturbed protections along the Creek and the Park, and reduce the protective buffers along Crabtree Creek by 30 feet and allow for them to be “unexcavated” which means logging, roads, stock piling, etc. In 2023 to present, various court filings and Hearings in a very winding legal manner have transpired (more details are on www.umsteadcoalition.org). We do not have the official ruling, but Wake County Superior Court Judge Sean Cole’s draft ruling is now public record, and it is in support of the Umstead Coalition. Current Status: Wake Stone saw this draft ruling and then filed a Hail Mary to Intervene with the stated purpose of getting our case dismissed, that is, to void our win. Our lawyers are defending our case at a Virtual hearing on December 1. We believe we will eventually prevail! Illustration: Anna Winters