Lone Star Industries Inc. (d/b/a Buzzi Unicem USA) has completed the sale of almost 2,700 acres from its former mining operation near Oglesby, Illinois, to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The land is being annexed into the adjacent Starved Rock and Matthiessen State Parks, preserving important green space for LaSalle County and providing a much-needed capacity increase for Starved Rock State Park. An aerial map of the property is available here.

Over the years, the property had been used for coal and limestone mining. Following the cessation of mining operations, Lone Star successfully completed the reclamation necessary to restore the land to a natural and productive space. That mitigation process was characterized by the Department of Natural Resources as “exemplary.” Led by HB attorney Jennifer Martin, HB represented Lone Star during the negotiations and sale of the LaSalle County property, which was valued at $11 million. Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner noted that Lone Star’s successful post-mining mitigation efforts have resulted in an environmentally productive property and commended Lone Star for its civic-mindedness with respect to the sale of the property.

Martin, a partner in the firm’s Springfield office, focuses her practice on Environmental Law and Real Estate matters. She has been named to the list of Illinois Leading Lawyers.