Azusa council extends comment period on mining environmental report
By Daniel Tedford, Staff Writer
Posted: 02/02/2010 12:03:10 PM PST
AZUSA - The city council voted at Monday's meeting to extend the comment
period on the Azusa Rock Quarry environmental report just days before the
period was scheduled to end.
The environmental impact report on Vulcan Materials Company's new
application for mining was completed in December, and the minimum comment
period was 45 days, which would have expired on Friday.
The city received a letter from the Sierra Club's San Gabriel Valley
Taskforce over the weekend requesting an extension. That, paired with other
public comments asking for the same, prompted the council to take action.
In a 4 to 1 vote, with Councilman Keith Hanks voting no, the council voted
to extend the period another 15 days. The public comment period will now
close on Sat., Feb. 20.
"I don't see a problem allowing the residents a few more days," Councilman
Robert Gonzales said at the meeting. "We have waited this long ... I don't
see why extending this period a little bit longer will hurt."
Vulcan has a permit to mine 190 acres near Fish Creek. The company wants to exchange 80 acres of unmined land on its eastern property line for the ability to mine 80 acres near its western property line.
The 270-acre Vulcan property sits in the city of Azusa but rests along the Duarte border. For Vulcan to move forward, Azusa officials would have to approve Vulcan's plan to mine the western 80 acres.
Hanks took exception to public comments that accused the council of
trying to rush through the public comment process and keep the public
unaware. He believed the time period of 45 days is standard and is enough
time for anyone to read the report and comment.
He said the public has had ample time to learn about the project and raise
objections.
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