cosmiccorn
10-26-2010, 07:57 AM
Syar Alexander Valley Instream Mining Update
On September 23rd, after a few questions from two of five Sonoma County Planning Commissioners, they approved the proposed project for mining 350,000 tons of sand and gravel (that salmon use for spawning) per year for 15 years. Several audience members including your Riverkeeper spoke about how the project would create massive impacts on the community and the River. One speaker, a retired hydrologist who was waiting for another hearing, was moved to speak against it because so many other Rivers in California have outlawed mining due to the ecological impacts. This project will turn Alexander Valley into an industrial mining zone each summer with up to 480 gravel trucks a day from the Geyserville to Healdsburg while belching up to 958 TONS of CO2 in three months each summer.
Now, it goes to the Board of Supervisors for a vote on October 26th. Riverkeeper will be providing template letters next week for people concerned about the impacts to the River and our community.
If you never seen gravel mining along the river firsthand check out our short You Tube video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ur8GEji_100
Syar Mining Project Impacts & EIR Issues:
*480 double tractor-trailer trips per day for months from Geyserville to Healdsburg
*958 tons per year of CO2 and hundreds of pounds of PM10 & PM 2.5 fine particulate air pollutants every day - leading to increases in respiratory disease.
*Extract gravel in amounts that will cause downstream erosion
*No evaluation of old dirty haul trucks driving up to two miles on riverbed
*No cumulative impacts analysis for increases in plant emissions and mining operations from increased mining
We need your help to keep this project from adversely impacting the River and community for the next 15 years. Please speak out for the River and community and write a letter opposing the project, speak at the October 26th Board of Supervisors hearing or make a donation to support our efforts!
On September 23rd, after a few questions from two of five Sonoma County Planning Commissioners, they approved the proposed project for mining 350,000 tons of sand and gravel (that salmon use for spawning) per year for 15 years. Several audience members including your Riverkeeper spoke about how the project would create massive impacts on the community and the River. One speaker, a retired hydrologist who was waiting for another hearing, was moved to speak against it because so many other Rivers in California have outlawed mining due to the ecological impacts. This project will turn Alexander Valley into an industrial mining zone each summer with up to 480 gravel trucks a day from the Geyserville to Healdsburg while belching up to 958 TONS of CO2 in three months each summer.
Now, it goes to the Board of Supervisors for a vote on October 26th. Riverkeeper will be providing template letters next week for people concerned about the impacts to the River and our community.
If you never seen gravel mining along the river firsthand check out our short You Tube video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ur8GEji_100
Syar Mining Project Impacts & EIR Issues:
*480 double tractor-trailer trips per day for months from Geyserville to Healdsburg
*958 tons per year of CO2 and hundreds of pounds of PM10 & PM 2.5 fine particulate air pollutants every day - leading to increases in respiratory disease.
*Extract gravel in amounts that will cause downstream erosion
*No evaluation of old dirty haul trucks driving up to two miles on riverbed
*No cumulative impacts analysis for increases in plant emissions and mining operations from increased mining
We need your help to keep this project from adversely impacting the River and community for the next 15 years. Please speak out for the River and community and write a letter opposing the project, speak at the October 26th Board of Supervisors hearing or make a donation to support our efforts!