|
|
CEMEX
Archived Posts from this Category
Mon 28 Apr 2008
 Note: For those, like myself, possessing a passion for correct facts, I include the following disclaimer. In this essay I use the name “Cemex” to reference the various promoters of the Soledad Canyon Mining Project that the community came to call the “Cemex Project,” knowing full well the promoters included Transit Mixed, its parent Southdown, and eventually Cemex through its acquisition of Southdown.
Two apocryphal sounding stories surround the Cemex Project, but I know they carry truth. The first involves a community meeting in Canyon Country in the late 1990’s when a Cemex representative told Pauline Harte, (more…)
Thu 1 Mar 2007
Posted by admin under CEMEX , Local 1 Comment
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has lodged a lawsuit against Cemex in federal court in Riverside claiming the company - which plans an aggregate quarry on the outskirts of Santa Clarita - failed to adopt proper measures to cut air pollution at its Victorville cement plant, one of the largest of its kind in the country.
In a complaint filed Monday, the Department of Justice accuses Cemex of failing to install the protective devices despite spending millions to renovate the facility during the past decade reports Judy O’Rourke of the Daily News. Read it here: http://www.dailynews.com/santaclarita/ci_5327662
Sun 11 Feb 2007
Folks in City Hall are thrilled Cemex won’t open its proposed Soledad Canyon mine in 2008, but the move could prove costly for California taxpayers and consumers in the coming years reports Judy O’Rourke of the Daily News.
The city of Santa Clarita has spent $8 million fighting the planned gravel mine, saying it would result in heavy truck traffic and unhealthful air quality. The two sides have declared a truce while they seek a compromise.
Meanwhile a report issued last week by the state shows long-term demand for sand and gravel - a key ingredient in cement and asphalt products used in construction - will far outweigh the supply.
Read it here: http://www.dailynews.com/santaclarita/ci_5203483
Tue 6 Feb 2007
Both Will Spend 2007 Seeking a Compromise to Soledad Quarry Project. The City of Santa Clarita and CEMEX USA today announced a truce to work together in 2007, taking that time to explore mutually acceptable solutions that will result in a win-win for both parties. The objective of the truce is to find a middle ground that will limit mining in Soledad Canyon, while providing CEMEX with fair and full value for their proposed project.
A four-point agreement was signed by Gilberto Perez, CEMEX USA President and Ken Pulskamp, Santa Clarita City Manager, formalizing the truce. The parties have agreed that all pending processes and permit applications related to the project are not to be advanced from their status as of December 31, 2006.
Both parties have agreed to a “cease fire” in the media; and both parties have agreed to hold a joint press conference to announce the truce. Finally, during 2007, the City and CEMEX have agreed to focus their resources seeking mutually acceptable solutions in 2007, which may include federal legislation.
“I am optimistic about the truce and know the City will do whatever it takes to work together in the spirit of cooperation for the benefit of our community. This is a golden opportunity for the City and for CEMEX. Our goal is to protect our community and I believe this agreement is a necessary step to get us there,” commented Councilmember Laurene Weste, sub-committee member for the City’s CEMEX efforts.
“CEMEX continues to recognize the growing need for aggregate products and remains committed to serving the building materials needs in Southern California of homeowners, contractors and even the State of California for highway and bridge projects,” said Gilberto Perez, President of CEMEX USA.
“We are, however, committed to this moratorium and are hopeful that this effort will produce positive results for both CEMEX and the City,” he added. The City of Santa Clarita has been fighting the start of a federally approved quarry in Soledad Canyon for more than seven years, while CEMEX has been actively defending its rights, both in the courts and in the public arena.
“We appreciate that CEMEX has demonstrated sensitivity to the needs of our community through the signing of this truce. I am hopeful that this truce will allow both parties to amicably explore the best solution for the mutual benefit of the City and CEMEX. We want to also encourage the community to stay engaged in this process,” added Mayor Pro-tem Bob Kellar who is also a member of the City’s CEMEX sub-committee.
Wed 20 Dec 2006
Back in the days when it seemed people would pay anything to live in Santa Clarita – that is, a few short months ago – a new idea was floated to free up space for more housing. Just get rid of the Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park, and voila! Sprawling new acreage for even more housing units would suddenly surface.
It seemed like a great idea for some, especially if you could contract into both the demolishment of Six Flags and then the building of a yet more condensed housing project with the same back-rubbing agreements.
But what we are missing here is the public saying “yeah.” In fact, ever since Magic Mountain got into the news with this story, people have become less excited about living in Santa Clarita. Housing prices have leveled off drastically. Unsold houses have begun to find a permanent home in listings.
I wonder why. How on earth could the fact that a gravel mine is moving in while an amusement park may be heading out make Santa Clarita less attractive as a home? What do people have against gravel these days?
Why isn’t there any cheering about this, especially since Congressman Howard “Buck” McKeon has drawn a line of allowing only 300,000 tons of Cemex mining in Santa Clarita per year. Look, if Magic Mountain is no longer here, there will be less reason for our kids to be outdoors breathing this tonnage into their little lungs. Right?
In fact, I am certain that if Cemex can prove successful in taking over the center stage of Santa Clarita, we may see it do the same in Anaheim, especially if we can give this determined mining company some elbow room and get rid of Disneyland as if it were Magic Mountain. Essentially, that’s what I want to write about. More Cemex and less Magic Mountain.
Basically, I blame Magic Mountain for our overpriced housing in the first place. Have you ever noticed that all cities that have kept their housing prices low have economized to the hilt on offerings for kids – giving their small fry only the schools they are required to offer and a few slides and swings in public parks? It is so rare to have something like a Magic Mountain for children in any American city that this attraction is bound to attract the serious American families who inflate our housing market with their never-ending spending and support for their little ones. No wonder our schools have such high learning scores.
I much prefer the way that Cemex is already succeeding in creating a “correction” on our inflated housing market – that is, sending our housing prices toward Palmdale values. Once the mining begins, the daily presence of Cemex is surely going to be so great that I myself am considering making a presentation to the City Council that we rename Santa Clarita “Cemex City.”
This image of Cemex City will surely get rid of much serious housing, serious families and serious schools so we can blend in with the not-so-serious places surrounding us.
I haven’t heard much recently about this idea of demolishing Magic Mountain – apparently this talk didn’t exactly help our real estate picture look promising at this time – but I am sure it will come up again. And if so, goodbye, old Magic Mountain. Hello, Cemex City. It’s coming, ladies and gentlemen.
Chris Sharp
Commentary
Tue 19 Dec 2006
Judy O’Rourke, staff writer for the Daily News reports Cemex, which has locked horns with the city over a proposed 56.1-million-ton aggregate mine planned on the outskirts of town, has contributed $15,000 to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s inaugural.
The news comes weeks after Santa Clarita lobbied the governor to help defeat Cemex plans to mine in Soledad Canyon.
A representative of Cemex said Monday that the donation was simply a way for the Mexico-based conglomerate to support the event’s festivities. Read the rest of the article here: http://www.dailynews.com/santaclarita/ci_4864619
Mon 20 Nov 2006
The West Ranch Town Council voted unanimously at the regular monthly council meeting in November to oppose the CEMEX mine operation in Soledad Canyon. Don Fleming, the newest council member, asked that the council send a letter to the Santa Clarita City Council and City manager. The following is a copy of the letter recently sent to the City
Dear City Council and Mr. Pulskamp,
On Wednesday, November 1st, 2006 the West Ranch Town Council held its regular monthly meeting. As you know we are an advisory group to Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich. One of the issues discussed was the CEMEX mega mining operation in Soledad Canyon.
Our council voted unanimously to support every effort to fight the proposed activities at the CEMEX operations in our community. CEMEX appears to have a history of violating state and federal regulations throughout the United States. The mining of 69 million tons of sand and gravel over the next twenty years, including blasting on a weekly basis, will have a serious impact on the quality of life in our Valley.
On behalf of the entire West Ranch Town Council, we are committed to work with our neighbors in the City of Santa Clarita to stop and/or reduce the planned activities at the Soledad Canyon CEMEX facility. We will send a letter to Supervisor Antonovich as well to let him know that our community opposes this mining operation.
Please let us know how we can be of any assistance to the City in these efforts and add us to the list of Valley organizations that are opposing the CEMEX operation.
The letter was copied to Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich and several of his Senior Deputies. The West Ranch Town Council is committed to working with their various neighbors on issues that are of importance to the residents of the entire Santa Clarita Valley.
Mon 13 Nov 2006
Posted by admin under Media , CEMEX 1 Comment
Judy O’Rourke, staff writer for the Daily News Santa Clarita edition writes that newly re-elected U.S. Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon introduced legislation to downsize Cemex’s planned sand and gravel mine, but did not push to get it passed. The only co-sponsor is a Democrat recruited by the Santa Clarita Republican’s opponent in last week’s election.
McKeon said from Day One he never expected the bill to pass, and with winter recess nearing, it likely will die without ever being acted upon.
(McKeon) introduced the bill to spur negotiations between the two sides,” said James Geoffrey, spokesman for the congressman. “Until the city and Cemex come to some accommodation, some understanding of how they would move forward, we really couldn’t proceed.
Read the entire story at the Daily News web site at: http://www.dailynews.com/santaclarita/ci_4645136
Thu 26 Oct 2006
Unprecedented Convergence of Communities to Expose Unlawful and Dangerous CEMEX Activities
(Los Angeles, CA) – Reflecting mounting opposition by citizens’ groups and government agencies in at least five states across the nation, a number of local community organizations and city interests have formed a National Alliance to fight multinational giant CEMEX and its mining operations across the United States. This first of its kind national alliance is comprised of active citizens groups from Colorado, California, Ohio, Florida and Michigan that have had to form to fight unlawful or dangerous activities at CEMEX operations in their communities. CEMEX has a history of violating state and federal regulations across the United States. It has been cited for thousands of air and water violations in at least eight states - California, New Mexico, Colorado, Alabama, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Tennessee - and has already paid $4.5 million dollars in state and federal environmental fines.
The Alliance’s first action was to send the attached letter to the Mexico-based multinational conglomerate to urge the company to abide by all state and federal air, water and environmental standards, and to work more openly and honestly with communities where they operate or are buying plants. They will coordinate efforts and resources to communicate with broader media, shareholders and political leaders about the questionable activities of CEMEX in communities across America.
COLORADO – “The track record of operating violations at CEMEX demonstrates a disregard for the well-being of this community. After examining the compliance history for CEMEX, compiled by the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division, we are appalled at the dire conditions depicted. They have back-to-back Notices of Violation, and a Compliance Order that includes penalties for poor air pollution control practices and a penalty for the absence of pollution controls that the company asserted that it had as a condition of its permit. Instead of cleaning up their act or being shut down, they negotiate down the amount of the fines and continue operating, and even intend to expand their operation to include burning tires. We do not trust this company to protect the health and environment of the residents in our community,” said Anne George, Steering Committee, St. Vrain Valley Community Watchdogs, Colorado.
OHIO – “In March, 2005 the USEPA cited CEMEX for violations of the Prevention of Significant Deterioration in Part C of the Clean Air Act, dating back to 1997. The Notice of Violation and Finding of Violation stand as unresolved at this time. Also, in July, 2006, the Regional Air Pollution Control Agency (RAPCA) issued a Warning Letter to CEMEX for installing an access door on the preheater tower without a permit. Fairborn Citizens must obey the law. Why Doesn’t CEMEX? CEMEX has also requested an exemption from the permitting process to do a 42-day trial burn using old tires. How can they be trusted?” said Dawn Falleur, Green Environmental Coalition, Yellow Springs, Ohio.
CA - “CEMEX clearly has a track record of averting local community control, and going against the wishes of the communities where they operate. We must work together to protect local control, and the health, safety, and quality of life of our residents,” said Mayor Laurene Weste, Santa Clarita, California.
FLORIDA – “In spite of two previous denials by the Manatee County Commission, CEMEX continued to press for approval to construct a concrete ready mix plant in close proximity to several residential communities and schools. Hundreds of neighbors representing several nearby communities vigorously expressed their strong objections to allowing this proposed plant to be built. Seeing this concerted opposition, while anticipating long delays in the continued pursuit of the approval process, CEMEX recently agreed to work with Manatee County officials in an attempt to identify a mutually acceptable alternate site. Only time will tell to help us determine the legitimacy of CEMEX’s recent actions,” said Clint Miller, Chairman of the East Manatee County Coalition, Florida.
MICHIGAN – “WATCH had good communications with the management team at CEMEX during the time they owned the cement plant in Charlevoix but little results from our efforts. CEMEX was out of compliance most of the time with stack emissions. They had problems with dust control around the plant. They made no effort to control noise. CEMEX had a serious fuel oil spill that was not detected for months. Several thousand gallons of fuel oil leaked into the ground beneath the plant resulting in a clean-up that lasted for years. The difference between CEMEX and the current owner, St. Mary’s Cement, is like night and day. St. Mary’s has been doing a clean-up of the physical plant, they have installed a new bag house facility which has them in compliance with a dramatic drop in particulate emissions, they have vastly improved blasting techniques, they have employed noise and lighting control measures, they have installed a “green” berm around the quarry and they have been completely open and accessible about everything,” said Bill Henny, President of The Water and Air Team for Charlevoix (WATCH), Michigan.
OHIO – “As parents we have great cause for concern — we hold some of the most sensitive individuals to air pollution, our children, under our care. We dedicate ourselves to raising healthy children, feeding them natural food, avoiding toxic products and then must send them out to play in some of the most polluted air in the country. What else can we do as parents but stand up to protect our children from corporations like CEMEX, who pollute without care for our children’s health and welfare,” said Aimee Lunde Maruyama, Parents Against Burning Tires.More information about CEMEX activities in specific states and communities can be found at: www.coloradocitizens.org ; www.greenlink.org ; www.stopCEMEXMegaMine.com ; www.cleanairohio.org; www.stvrainwatchdogs.org; www.watch@core.com
|
|
|
