ˈæftɚ ðɪ ˌɛnˌɛnˈɛl stˈæɾəs wʌz ɡɹˈæntᵻd ɪn dʒˈænjuːˌɛɹi nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti sˈɪks, ðə kwˈɔːɹi kˈʌmpəni stˈɪl hæd lˈiːɡəl ɹˈaɪts tə kwˈɔːɹi ðə pɹˈɑːpɚɾi, bˌʌt ðɛɹwˌʌz ɐ mˈɔːɹəl ˌɑːblɪɡˈeɪʃən plˈeɪst ɔnðə lˈændoʊnɚz tə pɹɪzˈɜːv ðə kˈeɪv ɪn ˈɔːɹdɚ tə ɹᵻtˈeɪn ɪts ˌɛnˌɛnˈɛl stˈæɾəs.
After the NNL status was granted in January 1976, the quarry company still had legal rights to quarry the property, but there was a moral obligation placed on the landowners to preserve the cave in order to retain its NNL status.