Studies show that property values fall at least 30 percent when a sand mine moves into the neighborhood. One Tunnel City resident tells the town board how realtors tell him his property is now worth half of what it was worth a month ago. He is looking for solutions and his town government has none to offer him.

However, other sand mines have signed agreements in which they compensate homeowners for the loss of property value. Unimin has not made any such offer.