Kentucky woman spent 35 years creating nature preserve; sewer project takes easements

A Kentucky woman who spent 35 years turning her 45-acre property into a natural area is facing a major change to the land after a nearly $40 million sewer project secured easements across it. The Central Boone County Sewer project, being built by Sanitation District 1 (SD1), will use part of Gayle Pille’s property for a new sewer pipeline.Pille has spent decades developing the property into a nature preserve. According to WVXU, she planted native shrubs and trees, cleaned up creek crossings and built bird houses. She also plans to donate the land to the Boone Conservancy after her death so it can remain a community nature preserve.The sewer project has four phases and is designed to increase wastewater capacity in central Boone County. Its final phase includes about 3.2 miles of new sewer line, known as B.2.