How Citizens Can Push Back Against Extractive Projects
Throughout our time as KRC staff, we have received numerous emails and phone calls about extractive organizations consuming land across the state. The people reaching out represent communities dealing with challenges such as confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), large-scale farrowing facilities, sand pits, gravel quarries, commercial developments, data centers and more.
In response to these calls, this Winter 2026 edition of Rural Papers highlights a few examples of communities that have fought back. Below, we share actions and strategies drawn from these champions of the land as tools you may find helpful as you and your neighbors work to protect clean water, clean air, healthy habitat, safe roads, and the long-term wellbeing of your community.
If an extractive project is proposed in your community, this list of actions can make a real impact:
Be Alert
Pay close attention to public notices in local newspapers and government postings—projects may appear only briefly, sometimes after key approvals like annexation.
Stay actively involved in what’s happening locally; this process tests a community’s endurance and persistence.
Watch land near sensitive areas (such as wetlands) for postings or early signs of development.
Learn to recognize what land looks like when development is being planned.
Sign up for as many public notifications and alerts as possible.
Monitor city and county agendas: proposals may appear as agenda items before the public realizes what’s at stake.
Track permit renewals, not just new project proposals.
Do Your Research
File open records requests (such as KORA) to understand the true scale, timeline, and details of a project.
Understand annexation rules: for land to be annexed, both the county and the city must agree.
Pay close attention to comprehensive plans: they often determine what development is allowed long before a specific project is proposed.
Contact organizations such as Corps of Engineers, NRCS, Friends of the Kaw, Sierra Club, SRAP and your County planners to understand the project and make sure it is in compliance.
Understand the facts around the issue. Be careful not to spread false information that will harm your credibility.
Build Community
Know your neighbors, invite them into the conversation early, and help them understand how they are being impacted or infringed upon.
Educate the community through town halls, fact sheets, and local media. Use to-the-point and easy-to-digest messaging.
Ask experienced members of your community to help with a draft template for written comments or complaints.
Understand the the individual strengths of our group members and assign tasks accordingly.
Landowners should explore land trusts to protect property for future generations, within families and beyond.
Find a common place to share information and collaborate. Example: Facebook Groups, Discord, and Websites.
Fight Back
Point out false information and missteps perpetuated by the organization in question.
Demand public hearings: these often only happen if residents push for them.
Submit written complaints and comments to county commissioners and regulatory agencies.
Put officials on the record by citing their legal authority and responsibility.
Show up and testify. Clear, concise, and personal testimony matters.
Advocate for policy change at both the county and state level.
Remember: rural communities are not disposable. With persistence, organization, and a clear understanding of the law, citizens can challenge projects that threaten their health, water, air, and future!