RAMSAY - The small community of Ramsay just west of Butte has spent the past four years fighting against a truck stop that wants to locate here. However, for the residents, that truck stop is one step closer to moving in.
The Department of Environmental Quality this week determined that a Love’s Travel Stop will not lead to significant adverse effects to people and property in Ramsay if it locates there. Many residents in this community of about 40 households oppose the project.
“Just about everybody in town is sick to death our way of life is going to change, there’s going to be lights, there’s going to be people, we’re scared, we’re frightened, we’re afraid our kids are going to get run over,” said longtime Ramsay resident Bill Hazlett.
The Oklahoma-based company announced in 2017 its plans to build a 137-lot truck stop off Interstate-90 on land that runs along Palmer Street. The truck stop would include a store, tire center, and casino.
“We’ve been fighting it tooth-and-nail since they announced it. We tried, a lot of people have put money into the pot to try to pay a lawyer,” said Hazlett.
Many residents here fear this truck stop will bring increased light and noise pollution, increased traffic, even crime, just unwanted changes to a quiet and simple community.
“I just will they could find another spot. I was that our way of life wouldn’t change, you know, and we think it’s going to change for the worst,” said Hazlett.
Loves officials say their more than 400 stores nationwide are well-managed and secure and the new store won’t be a burden on the community of Ramsay.
