2/9 at 9am in Fresno. Help save sacred Jesse Morrow Mountain from Cemex destruction. We need help
You know that beautiful majestic mountain to your left when you head up to Kings Canyon in the Sierra might be destroyed and pollute the Valley air even more than it is now?
Fresno Co has two more days to call and write their supervisors.
** and those who live out side of Fresno Co. and CA we need you to help by calling also.
* Just pick one of the Supervisors below and tell them to vote NO on letting Cemex mine sacred mountain.
Let your Fresno County Supervisors know that you do not want them to vote to allow Jesse Morrow Mountain to be mined.
Let them know that you will use your voting power to remove them if they do. You can do this by letter, email, or personal meeting.
Call or write your supervisors at the addresses and telephone numbers listed below.
Phil Larson, District 1- 559- 488-3541
Assistant – Jean Barlow
jbarlow@co.fresno.ca.us
Susan Anderson, District 2 –559- 488-3542
Assistant – Christy Bourbon
sanderson@co.fresno.ca.us
Henry Perea, District 3- 559-488-3663
Assistant – Patricia Pinedo
hperea@co.fresno.ca.us
Judy Case, District 4-559-488-3664
Assistant-Dia Beigi
dbeigi@co.fresno.ca.us
Debbie Poochigan, District 5- 559-488-3665
Assistant – Kathy Burrows
distric5@co.fresno.ca.us
URGENT: PLEASE FORWARD TO FAMILY, FRIENDS AND CONCERNED COLLEAGUES & CITIZENS
On Thursday, February 9th, at 8:45am -- the Fresno County Planning Commission (PC) will deliberate on the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) submitted to permit the Cemex Corporation to blast strip mine Jesse Morrow Mountain for the next 50 years.
We assume this will be the first of potentially dozens of local foothill strip mines in the coming years once this precedence is set. The public is urged to speak at this meeting.
Unfortunately for 'we the people', the vote for Cemex's strip mine has apparently already been pre-approved by the Planning Commission.
From the Planning Department's own "Staff Report" issued publicly last week, it appears as if the Planning Commission has clearly made up its mind, and will summarily vote YES to Certify the FEIR and approve the mine.
All that's needed apparently is a fill-in-the-blank certification of who voted YES.
We ask: Why is it only in Fresno County that your citizen voice, in what is supposed to be a democratic process, where votes should be cast after hearing public testimony from citizens not decided behind closed doors, why has your voice been so thoroughly put aside in this pre-arranged decision?
The precise wording of this 'projected' outcome (which the county itself has written into the record) is in Exhibit 8, p.88 of their own "Staff Report" which they provided for the PC meeting regarding the findings and statement of overriding considerations - last week!
http://www.co.fresno.ca.us/viewdocument.aspx?id=49927
Go to p. 87-88 of the pdf. It states verbatim:
"The County of Fresno proposes to approve Cemex..." p.87 & etc, then on p.88 at the top:
"On February 9, 2012, the Fresno County Planning Commission considered and heard testimony on the Project from the Project proponents, the general public, and the Commission's staff. The Commission of February 9, 2012 voted to recommend certification of the EIR and approval of Reduced Alternative 4 by a vote of INSERT VOTES FOR AND AGAINST."
Note the past tense of this outcome of a meeting not yet held!
Was this really written some time ago by the Planning Office to pave the way for their pre-approved YES vote? Absolutely! And unambiguously, they state the county has approved this vote before the vote.
Is this the standing operational procedure in Fresno? Duh. Right again. Standard procedure.
Unfortunately in this case, it would appear that employees at the county development office, as well as among the Planning Commission itself (doubtless too at Cemex all in cozy cahoots) -- together in their rubber-stamp process, they are apparently able to time travel into the future, assign their fill-in-the-blank YES vote proactively to a meeting not yet held, and return back to the present to let 'we the citizens' know, via this off-hand bureaucratic statement on page 88, the outcome of their prearranged certification of a strip mine at a meeting still several days hence before any of the rest of us have even had a chance to show up, let alone voice our concerns! Jimminy cricket.
Read that sentence again then go back and read their report. Is this what the democratic process in Fresno County has fallen to? Apparently so.
PLEASE COME DOWN TO THE HALL OF RECORDS ON THURSDAY NEXT AND BE ON RECORD IN YOUR FIRM OPPOSITION AGAINST THIS MOUNTAIN-TOP BLAST STRIP MINE THAT WILL SIT ADJACENT TO OUR CITY FOR 50 (LIKELY 100) YEARS --
FIRST STRIP MINE AMONG MANY WE HAVE NO DOUBT TO RUIN THE WESTERN SIERRA ONCE THIS FIRST APPROVAL IS MADE --
AN UNENDING BLIGHT AT THE VERY GATEWAY TO TWO OF AMERICA'S MOST TREASURED NATIONAL PARKS, A MOUNTAIN SACRED TO THE TRADITIONAL CHOINUMNI INDIANS, AND A BEAUTIFUL FLOWER-STREWN MOUNTAIN AT THAT.
GO OUT TO SEE IT BEFORE IT IS DESTROYED SOME STAR-STREWN NIGHT THIS WEEK,
TAKE YOUR SWEETHEART FOR A VALENTINE'S RIDE UP ALONG THE BLOSSOM TRAIL ON THE GENERALS HIGHWAY ON THAT LONELY OPEN ROAD TO THE TWIN PARKS.
PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD PAST MINKLER AND LOOK UP IN WONDER. IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
WHAT A LOVELY MOON-DAPPLED MOUNTAIN IT IS!
THIS, A BLAZING MOUNTAIN-TOP STRIP MINE?
Fresno County is your democracy, dear friends, you make the call (not the cozy pre-arranged back door politics of the all-too-typical development-at-all-costs business-as-usual planning process we see in abundance here.)
Prepared by the Coalition to Save Jesse Morrow Mountain
http://jessemorrowmountain.com/
Friends of Jesse Morrow Mountains purpose is to prevent mining on Jesse Morrow and protect Jesse Morrow Mountains cultural, historical, biological, water and visual significance as a gateway to the National Parks and Monuments. On a clear day, many view it from afar such as the freeway section of Highway 180 heading East without realizing how strip mining might change the view...In just one year the Fresno County Board of Supervisors has approved expansion of one mine and approval of another.
Cemex will proceed full speed ahead with its plan to mine Jesse Morrow Mountain despite a Sanger businessman's contention that his expanded rail distribution center can provide all the aggregate the area needs.
Roger Van Groningen said that his company, specializing in transportation and storage services, could begin bringing aggregate by rail to the area in 90 days at an expanded distribution center near Selma. He said his development has potential to put off the need for mining at Jesse Morrow Mountain.
A Google search of “Cemex environmental violations” brings up over 20 pages of worldwide environmental abuse attributed to the company. Fines have been levied by the US EPA, the United Kingdom and several states. Allegedly, Cemex prefers to pay fines rather than carry out specific terms or conditions regarding the operation of their various facilities. In spite of the fact that Cemex representatives downplay the complaints of the many people and organizations in opposition to this project, Jesse Morrow Mountain is going to be changed dramatically.
The Traditional Choinumni claim that “Wahallish” (the indigenous name for Jesse Morrow Mountain) is a sacred landmark that holds burial sites and other cultural artifacts.
Jesse Morrow Mountain is in Southeast Fresno County. It lies along the Blossom Trail north of and adjacent to the scenic King's Canyon Highway. It is the first mountain you encounter as you leave the valley on your way up to the Sierras and King's Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. It's majestic slopes, dotted with wildflowers in spring or golden grasses in summer and range cattle year round have been an inspiring sight for as long as human eyes have fallen on it.
= new reply since forum marked as read
What is all the fuss about mining Jesse Morrow Mountain?
Lots of reasons!
1.50 years, for starters. The mining project would last 50 years but would likely be extended continuously until all the gravel is gone (the whole mtn. is nearly all gravel).
This mountain is a thing of rare beauty in an area whose natural assets are not well known. If this mine goes into operation, portions of Jesse Morrow Mountain will be blasted and crushed into gravel. "The project will operate approximately 315 days per year with occasional nighttime operations to provide material for public construction projects, such as…Caltrans or emergency situations." The mined portion of the mountain will be lowered 400 feet in the initial phases, 1200 feet on the south face by projects end, extending 200 feet below ground surface level and light from the operation will light the skies all night long for 50 years. (VOL2, PROJECT DISCRIPTION 2.0)
2.The company that proposes to mine this mountain is Cemex, a giant multinational corporation based in Mexico, which does business in more than 50 countries worldwide and which has no interest in Fresno County except as a source of gravel. Cemex already has a very long list of air and water quality violations in this country and others. A nation-wide alliance has formed in the US to halt the opening of new Cemex operations and the expansion of existing Cemex operations as a result of the company's record. Cemex has a reputation for paying fines rather than complying with local air and water quality standards.
3.Air pollution. Fresno County lags behind federally mandated clean-up deadlines by 11 years and is applying for an extension based on the fact that problems with air quality in this area are so extreme. Area children already suffer asthma at roughly twice the national average. Even a very conscientious gravel mining operation, and we do not think that includes Cemex, adds chemicals and particulates to the air. Gravel trucks taking materials to and from the mine will also contribute to fouling the air. Fresno air quality needs to get better – not worse.
4.Water use & possible pollution. Mining 200 ft below ground level increases chance of running into ground water or contamination related to mobile equipment within the Quarry floor."
Farming, the lifeblood of Fresno County is already suffering from lack of water. The San Joaquin Valley aquifers have been declining for decades and new surface water sources have not come in to replace the groundwater that's been lost. The Cemex mine proposes to pump 150,000 gallons per day. Two other gravel mining operations already operating within 3 1/2 miles of the proposed Cemex mine (Vulcan and Central Valley) have expanded their operations. They will be pumping ground water as well. A fourth mine (Calaveras CMI), also planning to pump groundwater, is proposed to open within 3 1/2 miles of Cemex. The cumulative impact of all this pumping on the aquifer is unknown, but clearly headed in the wrong direction.
5.Truck Traffic. The Final Environmental Impact Report states that the traffic increases will be significant and unavoidable, exceeding the safety
