A proposal by Badger Daylighting Corporation to establish a nondestructive hydro-excavation business in Homer Township is facing delays. The Will County Land Use and Development Committee postponed a recommendation to allow the company to collaborate with local officials, who have expressed opposition.
Badger Daylighting Corporation intends to build an office and accommodate its trucks on a 38-acre site at 15202 W. 159th St. The company aims to secure a zoning change to a highway commercial classification. This proposal has met resistance, with over 500 residents signing an online petition against it. Officials from Homer Glen, Lockport, and Homer Township have also raised concerns.
Committee members acknowledged the company’s willingness to work with local authorities to address these issues. Badger Daylighting seeks to move from Channahon to a larger site in Homer Township. The company’s excavation method involves using high-pressure water and a vacuum system and requires about 20,000 gallons of water daily, according to Kevin North, general manager for Badger’s Upper Midwest region.
Residents expressed worries about water supply, as nearby homeowners depend on wells. Raymond Halper, a local resident, voiced his concerns, saying, Pumping industrial volumes of water from the source could drastically lower the water table for neighboring families, while simultaneously drawing existing surface contaminants deeper into our drinking water.
Halper emphasized the need for provisions to protect residents from adverse impacts.
Attorney Cass Wennlund, representing Badger, said the company is open to concessions, such as annexing into Homer Glen and sourcing water from Illinois American Water, or obtaining it off-site. Homer Glen Mayor Christina Neitzke-Troike communicated the village’s objection to Badger’s proposal.
County Board member Frankie Pretzel, chair of the Land Use Committee, stated the need for a definitive plan to address residents’ concerns about aquifer impacts. Residents also raised issues about rezoning, which they believe will affect the Cedar Glen and Windmill Estates subdivisions and areas along 159th Street between Gougar and Cedar roads.
The proposed business plans to park approximately 30 trucks on the property and is expected to generate 80 to 120 trips daily. Joyce Hale, a resident, argued that the operation would increase noise, emissions, and traffic near residential areas and schools. The land in question is currently zoned for residential use.
County Board member Judy Ogalla remarked that a nearby property, classified for industrial use due to a self-storage facility, could lead to more extensive industrialization than the current proposal. Resident Mark Gawron mentioned local leaders envision a 159th Street corridor that excludes industrial areas.
Homer Township Supervisor Sue Steilen cautioned about potential zoning changes leading to an unintended industrial corridor. Badger officials indicated they only require 12.5 acres of the property for their operations and are open to donating or selling the remainder to the Forest Preserve District of Will County.
Will County Board members urged Badger to engage with the forest district on a land agreement. Mayor Neitzke-Troike expressed interest in finding a better site for the company. The proposed site is expected to provide over 50 well-paying union jobs, with assurances from Badger that no contaminated materials will return to the site.
A legal objection has necessitated a three-fourths supermajority of County Board members to approve the project in its final stage.