February 3, 2012 • www.myvalleynews.com • The Valley News Local


Liberty Quarry public hearing draws several hundred people; some voice concern, others voice support


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The Riverside Convention Center was set up with 1700 chairs to handle the crowd throughout the day. Supporters for the quarry were given green shirts, hats and bandanas to show their support and people opposing the quarry wore the familiar orange shirts.


Julie Reeder Publisher


RIVERSIDE - A public hearing


Tuesday, Jan. 31, to consider a min- ing company’s appeal for approval of a quarry project near Temecula drew several hundred people to the Riverside Convention Center, where supporters and opponents voiced their concerns to the River- side County Board of Supervisors. A marked difference at this meeting, versus previous public hearings, was the level of support for the Liberty Quarry project. Kari Reuther from Granite said,


“Today was clear evidence that, with unemployment at more than 12 percent, local residents support new jobs. More than 600 Riverside County residents came out from the far reaches of the region today to show their support for Liberty Quarry and the new jobs and rev- enue it will bring to our region. These people recognize the need for this project, not only because it will create new jobs but because it will provide the materials we need to build our future roads, schools, and hospitals.” The Department of Conservation


has reported that Riverside County will run out of needed aggregate in the next 10-20 years if no new sources are permitted. Much of this material is currently being imported through Riverside County to proj- ects in Southwest Riverside and San Diego Counties. The meeting was organized so


that supporters of Granite were to speak first, with the exception of elected officials who were allowed to voice their opinions first, whether they were pro or con. Temecula City Councilman Ron Roberts said, “The mine will kill that mountain. The quarry will drain away the ground water and just suck the life out of vegetation...The gateway entrance to (southwest) Riverside County will be a dead mountain with a one-mile train of trucks heading toward it. Is it really worth a few jobs?’’ He maintained that the opera-


tion would increase pollution to levels that threaten the area’s wine vineyards. Riverside County’s Final Envi- ronmental Impact Report (EIR), released last year, concluded the county would be better off economi- cally and environmentally with Lib- erty Quarry and by taking the trucks that are presently bringing aggregate from other areas off the road, Lib- erty Quarry would actually improve the region’s air quality, but people


opposing the project disagree. “You’re talking about a giant


open pit blasting mine,” added Temecula City Councilwoman Maryann Edwards. “It would be the biggest, most harmful project in Riverside County. No corporate business decision is worth the impacts this mine will have on the people and the place itself.’’ Watsonville-based Granite Con-


struction is asking the Board of Supervisors to overrule a decision by the county planning commission last year to deny grading and zoning permits for the Liberty Quarry. Some homeowner and envi- ronmental groups, as well as the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians,


The Board of Supervisors and the audience hear a report from Riverside County Planning Director Carolyn Syms-Luna before the Granite project was discussed.


are staunchly opposed to the project. The Temecula Chamber opposes the project. Supporters include virtually all the rest of the chambers of com- merce located within the county, along with officials from cities throughout the central and eastern county regions. “We in the Coachella Valley understand the need for the Liberty


RANCHO FAMILY


Quarry,” said La Quinta Mayor Pro Tem Terry Henderson. “Liberty Quarry is positioning Riverside County for its future and present needs. Money is not the driving force; good public policy is.’’ “Riverside County needs more aggregate...for roads, schools and other public facilities,” said Me- nifee Mayor John Denver. “Right


now, we’re trucking in aggregate from far-reaching places. We’re paying for the higher costs associ- ated with that. Having this (quarry) is vital to the sustainability of our region.’’ The project zone would lie just north of the boundary separating


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