West Meade Neighborhood Association (WMNA) has discussed tightening the regulation on blasting to address the concerns of residents of West Nashville. Many feel the strong blasts coming from the River Road Vulcan Materials Quarry is causing damage to their homes, either foundational, which can be very expensive to fix, or cosmetic, like cracks in walls or brick.
The only ones who have incentive to reach a resolution to the blasting is US, the residents of West Nashville. However, the other entities in this battle – Vulcan Materials, Foundation Repair Companies, the State Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor, the State Fire Marshal’s office, and countless others – want to keep us in the dark and divided. As long as we do not speak as a group, we can be “managed.”
Don’t let this happen! There have been over 90 people who have filled out a survey and said that they believe the damage to their home is a direct result of blasting. Many homes have endured the cumulative blasting for over 40 years!!
Here is a short synopsis of what has been done:
– WMNA and Thom Druffel met with Vulcan Materials to voice our complaints
– WMNA met with Rep. Caleb Hemmer and Rep. Bo Mitchell. They agreed to pay for a research project to determine a) if the blasting has caused foundational and cosmetic damage and b) if the regulation limiting the size of blasts needs to be changed.
– WMNA contacted the Center for Earthquake Research and Information (CERI) and the University of Memphis Civil Engineering and Geology Depts. CERI and the UoM have submitted a proposal to do the research.
– Rep. Caleb Hemmer has committed to adding a budget amendment to the 2025 budget to pay for the research (PLEASE EMAIL/PHONE YOUR STATE REP. AND LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU BELIEVE THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT AND NEEDS TO BE APPROVED!).
– CERI and WMNA has begun gathering seismic readings and observations on the blasts as they occur. If you would like to contribute to the observations, please contact WMNA here:
For more detailed information, you can visit the Hot Topic page for blasting at https://westmeade.org/discussion-topics/vulcan-quarry-blasting/
“There is power in unity, and there is power in numbers.”
– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.