Saratoga News
News
Expansion at Hanson may boost traffic on railway, Cherbone tells county panel
By Cody Kratz
There were few open seats and dozens of people standing against the walls at a July 26 meeting where Saratoga and Cupertino residents gave their opinions on a proposed expansion of the Hanson Permanente Cement quarry.
Santa Clara County planners arranged the meeting to prepare for an environmental impact report due out this fall. It drew about 170 people who wanted to direct the county on what environmental impacts it should examine.
City of Saratoga public works director John Cherbone requested the EIR look into the potential for increased traffic on the Union Pacific railway that runs through Cupertino and Saratoga.
"The reclamation plan will have no effect on trains," said John Giovanola, Hanson community relations manager, before the meeting. "It will remain at the same level."
Cherbone was not convinced, noting that the railways have been upgraded recently, and wanted his concerns and the county response on record.
Currently, trains travel the Saratoga-Cupertino rail line only three times a week and service only Hanson. Cherbone said Saratoga city officials are worried the number will increase with an expansion in production.
"Saratoga is concerned about any increase in material transportation in and out of there," Cherbone said. "The only way to protect us is to force the environmental impact report to consider increased traffic on the railroad."
The reclamation plan details how Hanson must return the quarry to a usable condition by filling in part of the pit and planting native plants.
The proposed amendment covers 917 acres of Hanson's property, including 200 undisturbed acres and a new 60-acre pit. The current plan, which covers 330 acres, was approved in 1985 and expires in 2010.
"This is going to bring mining activity closer to homes," said Maria Segal, a Cupertino resident.
Much of that land, said Marvin Howell, Hanson land use director, has already been disturbed by roads, and the state did not originally require it be included in a reclamation plan.
State and county inspectors said Hanson is operating outside the bounds of the 1985 plan. Rather than argue about possible violations, which Hanson disputes, the county asked Hanson to amend its reclamation plan to include all disturbed areas. Hanson also included a new 61-acre mining pit on undisturbed land.
The county and Hanson emphasized that the reclamation plan is separate from the cement plant, which produces 1.6 million tons of cement per year and burns coal and natural gas to heat a 250-foot kiln 24 hours per day, seven days per week, for most of the year.
But speakers said the EIR should consider gas emissions, dust particles, spilled cement, diesel fumes, bare hillsides and noise from blasting and machinery as environmental impacts.
"Every city in the county is under hazard from this mining operation," said Thelma Epstein. She and others argued that the county should look at pollution caused by the cement plant because they say the two operations are inextricably connected.
"There's a lot of misunderstanding and a lot of confusion about what the project is and what the project isn't," said Howell.
He said Hanson has a vested right to mine because it was established before the county required use permits and that the proposed reclamation plan would ensure that disturbed areas are restored.
Howell also said the community needs local cement mining to continue because Hanson provides two-thirds of the cement consumed in the county and alternative sources from farther away would mean higher costs and more pollution. He added that Hanson is heavily regulated and will comply with future greenhouse gas reductions mandated by state law.
The county set up this meeting, held at the Cupertino Community Hall, after residents said a June 20 meeting was poorly publicized.
A 45-day public comment period will follow the expected fall release of the draft EIR and the final EIR will have to be approved by the county planning commission.
For the moment, Cherbone said everyone will just have to wait and see how it will affect their communities.
"We've given our two cents, and now we'll wait for their initial draft to come out," he said.
Shannon Burkey contributed to this article.
