In Australia and America, encroachment by conflicting land uses, zoning restrictions, and the "not in my backyard" syndrome make it increasingly difficult to access high-quality aggregate resources located near the market areas. Attempts by government agencies in America to protect aggregate resources for future development have met with varying degrees of success. The State of Queensland, Australia, designates aggregate resource areas as Key Resource Areas, which protect the resource and the routes to transport the resource, provide a separation area from incompatible land uses, and indicate the likelihood that the area is free from conflicting social or environmental issues. Copyright ?? 2005 by SME.