HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-10-10 - AGENDA REPORTS - MEGA MINING OPPOSITION (2)Agenda Item:
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR City Manager Approval:
Item to be presented by: Toi Chisom
DATE: October 10, 2006
SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION IN OPPOSITION OF
MEGA -MINING AND ITS NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON THE
SANTA CLARITA VALLEY AND SURROUNDING
COMMUNITIES
DEPARTMENT: City Manager's Office
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council adopt a resolution supporting the City's opposition of the proposed CEMEX
mega -mining project in the Soledad Canyon and its negative impacts.
BACKGROUND
In 1990, two consecutive ten-year Federal contracts were issued by the Bureau of Land
Management to CEMEX for the Soledad Canyon Sand and Gravel Mining Project. The contracts
authorize CEMEX, a multinational corporation with a long history of environmental violations,
to extract 69 million tons of earth. This agreement was entered into despite great opposition by
the City, its residents and the well- documented negative, irreversible impacts of the project.
If CEMEX's 69 million ton mega -mine becomes a reality, the following are just some of the
devastating impacts that Santa Clarita Valley residents and local communities will face:
The CEMEX mega -mine will increase mining levels for the Santa Clarita area by 1,600%, or
enough gravel and sand mined to fill up the Rose Bowl 127 times.
The CEMEX mega -mine will add up to 1,164 big truck trips every day to the Los Angeles
area freeway system.
The CEMEX mega -mine operation consisting of mining, crushing and processing activities
will operate 17 hours a day, six days per week.
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• The CEMEX mega -mine will exceed the maximum risk allowed by the Air Quality
Management District (AQMD) Toxic Rules for new sources by 250%.
• The CEMEX mega -mine concrete batch plant operations and trucking activities will operate
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• The CEMEX mega -mine operation calls for blasting twice a week for the first 10 years, and
then double that for the next 10 years.
• The CEMEX mega -mine water demands will frequently dewater the Santa Clara River at the
project site, with potentially enormous impacts to fish, wildlife, and plants; including "take"
(killing) of the Fully Protected Unarmored Threespine Stickleback fish.
• The CEMEX mega -mine will greatly reduce the quality of life residents enjoy.
Albeit the City was shut out of the process by the federal government, the City of Santa Clarita
has been and continues to be in opposition of the CEMEX mega -mining project. The Santa
Clarita Valley and surrounding community residents have overwhelmingly supported and joined
the fight. A Citizens' Coalition of 8,000 has been formed sending a loud and clear message that
circumvention of local government is not acceptable and that mega -mining is not welcomed.
The City of Santa Clarita unwaveringly does not support mega -mining.
ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS
Other action as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
None by this action.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution