HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-04-10 - AGENDA REPORTS - STATE LEGISLATION: SENATE RESO 96 (2)6
Agenda Item: 6
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
DATE: April 10, 2018
SUBJECT: STATE LEGISLATION: SENATE RESOLUTION 96
DEPARTMENT: City Manager's Office
PRESENTER: Michael Murphy
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council adopt a support position on Senate Resolution 96 (Wilk and Stern) and transmit
delegation, appropriate legislative committees, Governor Brown, and the League of California
Cities.
BACKGROUND
Authored by Senator Scott Wilk (R-21-Antelope Valley) and Senator Henry Stern (D-27-Canoga
Park), Senate Resolution 96 proposes to urge the President of the United States, Congress, the
United States Department of Interior, and the United States Bureau of Land Management to take
action related to the proposed CEMEX mining project in Soledad Canyon.
Specifically, this bill:
1. Urges the President of the United States and Congress to enact legislation that prevents
further development of the proposed CEMEX mining project in Soledad Canyon.
2. Urges the United States Department of Interior and the United States Bureau of Land
Management to deny all pending appeals and claims before them that would allow the
continued development of the proposed CEMEX mining project in Soledad Canyon.
Senate Resolution 96 was introduced on March 21, 2018, and was referred to the Senate
Committee on Rules.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
ion 96
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3. Take no action on Senate Resolution 96
4. Refer Senate Resolution 96 to the Legislative Committee
5. Other action, as determined by the City Council
FISCAL IMPACT
The resources required to implement the recommended action are contained within the City of
Santa Clarita's adopted FY 2017-18 budget.
ATTACHMENTS
Senate Resolution 96
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6.a
Senate Resolution No. 96
Introduced by Senators Wilk and Stern
March 21, 2018
Senate Resolution No. 96¨Relative to Soledad Canyon.
line 1WHEREAS,The Santa Clara River constitutes the last
line 2natural-owing river in southern California; and
line 3WHEREAS,The Santa Clara River, particularly in the area near
line 4Soledad Canyon just outside the City of Santa Clarita, has been
line 5identied in a number of studies involving several state, federal,
line 6and private entities as having signicant ecological natural
line 7resources; and
line 8WHEREAS,This stretch of river serves as a habitat for
line 9numerous threatened, endangered, and fully protected wildlife
line 10species; and
line 11WHEREAS,Among the most signicant and most at-risk
line 12species present in the area is the unarmored threespine stickleback,
line 13a sh on both the state fully protected species list and the federal
line 14endangered species list; and
line 15WHEREAS,The Santa Clara River is the primary and only
line 16conrmed natural habitat for the unarmored threespine stickleback,
line 17and its protection and preservation is vital to the survival of the
line 18species; and
line 19WHEREAS,A massive mining project currently proposed along
line 20the Santa Clara River in Soledad Canyon would bring one of the
line 21nation's largest aggregate mines to this pristine natural canyon
line 22and deplete water ow from the already drought-taxed river where
line 23sh, waterfowl, and other wildlife, including the unarmored
line 24threespine stickleback, depend on the ow for survival; and
line 25WHEREAS, CEMEX, the purveyor of the proposed mine, has
line 26aggressively pursued all available avenues, including lawsuits
Attachment: Senate Resolution 96 (State Legislation: Senate Resolution 96)
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SR 96
line 1against the City of Santa Clarita and the County of Los Angeles,
line 2as well as appeals to the United States Bureau of Land Management
line 3and United States Department of the Interior, to complete its
line 4proposed mine despite unanimous opposition in the surrounding
line 5communities of the County of Los Angeles; and
line 6WHEREAS,The completion of the mining project in Soledad
line 7Canyon would harm not only the wildlife and river within and
line 8downstream of the canyon but also the surrounding communities;
line 9and
line 10WHEREAS,The mine proposal would include thousands of
line 11additional truck and vehicle trips daily on the already congested
line 12commuter route, State Highway 14; and
line 13WHEREAS, Congestion on State Highway 14 is already a major
line 14source of vehicular air pollution throughout the AntelopeValley
line 15region of the County of Los Angeles; and
line 16WHEREAS,Vehicular air pollution has greatly impacted the
line 17disadvantaged communities of the AntelopeValley and has led to
line 18environmental justice inequities for area residents; and
line 19WHEREAS, It is a stated priority of the Legislature to enact
line 20policies that protect our natural rivers, our pristine open space, our
line 21vulnerable species, our environmental quality in whole, our citizens
line 22against environmental injustices, and the quality of life for the
line 23residents of California; and
line 24WHEREAS,The proposed mine in Soledad Canyon displays
line 25the unique qualities of having a negative impact on all of these,
line 26and other, state priorities; now, therefore, be it
line 27 Resolved by the Senate of the State of California,That it is the
line 28intent of the Senate to enact legislation to prevent the further
line 29development of the proposed CEMEX mining project in the
line 30Soledad Canyon area of the County of Los Angeles; and be it
line 31further
line 32 Resolved,That the Senate urges the Congress and the President
line 33of the United States to enact legislation that prevents the further
line 34development of the proposed CEMEX mining project in the
line 35Soledad Canyon area of the County of Los Angeles; and be it
line 36further
line 37 Resolved,That the Senate urges the United States Department
line 38of the Interior and the United States Bureau of Land Management
line 39to deny all pending appeals and claims before them that would
Attachment: Senate Resolution 96 (State Legislation: Senate Resolution 96)
line 40allow the continued development of the proposed CEMEX mining
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line 1project in the Soledad Canyon area of the County of Los Angeles;
line 2and be it further
line 3 Resolved,That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
line 4this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United
line 5States, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Majority
line 6Leader of the Senate, the Secretary of the Interior, the Director of
line 7the United States Bureau of Land Management, and the author for
line 8appropriate distribution.
Attachment: Senate Resolution 96 (State Legislation: Senate Resolution 96)
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