Statement of Mayor Cameron Smyth on Transit Mixed Concrete Proposal

SPECIAL TO THE STOPTMC.ORG WEBSITE

The Santa Clarita Valley, including the communities of Newhall, Saugus, Valencia, Canyon Country, Agua Dulce and Acton, are in the fight of their environmental life. These communities are working together to prevent the Cemex Corporation from siting a 56-million ton mining and cement processing project within a five mile radius of 10,000 homes and a handful of schools and parks. The Cemex Corporation’s message is that the building industry will come to a screeching halt in Southern California without this mine to provide aggregate (sand and gravel for cement). It further claims that building costs in the region will soar without this project. Frankly, I would not put the need for aggregate ahead of the health and welfare of the residents of the Santa Clarita and Antelope Valley.

Two separate studies recently commissioned by the City of Santa Clarita clearly show that there is no need for new aggregate mines in Southern California and, current availability of permitted and unpermitted aggregate is sufficient for the region for the foreseeable future. Further, building costs will not escalate as a result of the approval or denial of the Transit Mixed Concrete Mining project in Soledad Canyon. However, damage to our air quality, worse traffic on roads and freeways and visual blight are guaranteed if this mine is approved as proposed. For me, the choice is an easy one; keep mining to historical levels and protect the health and welfare of our residents.

The prestigious Rand Corporation of Santa Monica and the Rose Institute of Claremont College concur, in two separate studies, that permitted and unpermitted aggregate is plentiful and available to the building industry right now and through the better part of the first half of this century. These studies are a blow to the Cemex Corporation’s assertion that aggregate will not only be in short supply in the future, but that supplies are questionable for the completion of projects already underway in Southern California. By contrast, environmental and traffic studies tell us that impacts to our region as a result of this mine are severe, adding over 1,000 more truck trips daily, doubling the State standard for PM10 (a form of air pollution), and reduction of a scenic mountain in our region.

I hope you take the time to review the vast material provided in this website and the City’s website at www.santa-clarita.com. The Santa Clarita City Council is united in its efforts to prevent a mine of this size and scope from being sited in Soledad Canyon. Thank you for your interest and support in this matter.

Sincerely,

Cameron Smyth

Mayor