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Alert – Draft EIR – Canyon Rock Project Summary
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FPA alerts are to keep you informed of opportunities for input into the future of Forestville.
June 2004
The draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the Canyon Rock Quarry project has been prepared. The overview below is extremely abbreviated and only includes those elements of an extremely lengthy and detailed report that we believe significantly impact Forestville. The FPA is not currently taking a stand on this issue, but feel it is extremely important that residents understand the proposed impacts on our community and the opportunities for your opinions to be heard.
We are still reading the report and have undoubtedly missed things both positive and negative. Some of the required mitigation is quite impressive. We encourage you to read it yourselves. Decisions on certain mitigation options have not yet been made.
There will be a Town Meeting June 19, 10:00 AM, in Oddfellows Hall to further distill and educate the community on the vast amount of information included in this document. All viewpoints are encouraged to be present and represented.
A public hearing to accept written or oral comments on the report is scheduled for June 3 at 1:10PM at the Planning Commission hearing Room, 2550 Ventura Ave, Santa Rosa. Written comments are due by June 25.
The DEIR describes the environmental impact of the request to expand their mining area to either the west or North.
The area expansion will result in an increase in production, fully utilizing their permitted right to sell 500,000 cubic yards a year over the next 20 years, rather than the current 375,000 cubic yards a year. Their existing mining operation will expire in 4-6 years.
Targeted Concerns to Forestville Residents:
References in brackets refer to areas information found in report.
- Gravel Truck Traffic
- Annual increase of 12,324 additional truckloads
- Annual aggregate truckloads: 44,014
- Increase of 176 daily trips during peak production (October and Wednesdays are Peak)
- Total projected one-way trips at peak production = 628 a day. [DEIR p. IV.A - 18]
- 50-80 trucks an hour traveling to and from the quarry during peak production (October). [IV.A-20]
Recommended mitigations of impact are:
- Widen Mirabel Road
- Install traffic signals at 116 (Front) and Covey (unless a bypass is built);
- 116 (Front) and Mirabel; Mirabel and River Rd
- Widen 116 going through Forestville
- Prohibit parking along both sides of 116 (Front) for at least 350 feet west of Covey and between 1st and 2nd St. on the North side to accommodate a 5ft. bike path.
- Build the bypass. Secondary impacts are included with this option.
- Pedestrian and Bicycle Impacts
- Some impact can be mitigated by traffic lights at crossings,
- The study concludes that łthe potential for pedestrian conflicts with highway traffic on 116 would remain significant and unavoidable. [IV.A-36]
- Noise
The increase in gravel trucks for only Canyon Rock is considered to not add a significant increase in noise. [IV.C-29] However, the combined increase in truck noise from both Blue Rock and Canyon Rock is considered to be significant and unavoidable with no mitigation measures recommended. [IV.C-31]
- On Site Noise
On site operations “would not generate noise substantially above existing levels” and therefore would not be significant.
Mitigation: once work begins the noise levels would be monitored.
- Air Quality
The DEIR position: impact on air quality (pollutants including diesel exhaust) will not be significant. [IV.b20-21]
The study done by Dr. Fox in 2000 indicating significant health impacts from quarry truck diesel fumes was described as “irrelevant” and was not considered. The study criteria were mostly taken from air monitoring stations in Healdsburg and Guerneville. Consideration was not given to trucks stopped at proposed traffic lights.
- Water Quality
The project could result in discharges of pollutants to Green Valley Creek, potentially violating water quality standard and/or impacting habitat.
As noted in the DEIR “The existing mining operation has a history of discharging stormwater that exceeds water quality benchmarks for pH, TSS, specific conductance, iron and diesel into Green Valley Creek. The operation has been cited for a water quality violation by the RWQCB.... The proposed project would expand the existing quarry and create additional disturbed areas that may yield more sediment and runoff relative to existing conditions.” [DEIR IV.D-15 and DEIR II-23] This would be a “potentially significant impact.”
These impacts are deemed “less than significant” with the expansion of sediment ponds, re-positioning of equipment, constant monitoring and reporting of quality of water going into the Creek. [IV.D18-22]
- Biological Resources
Loss and/or destruction of natural communities: Potentially significant [V.D-17-21]
Mitigation: Impacts on wetlands, wildlife deemed “less than significant” with “mitigations” such as replacement of wetlands and monitoring. [V.D-17-21]
- Aesthetics
The expansion “would substantially alter the visual character of the project vicinity. This would be a significant and unavoidable impact.” [DEIR II-44, V.E-9, V.E-15-16]
To Learn More and Comment
For a CD of the DEIR, contact Mike Sotak at 565-1931.
If you would like to view the document electronically, go to:
County of Sonoma Permit and Resource Dept.
Printed copies are at the Forestville Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center in Fleurish Gallery and in the Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, Guerneville and Forestville libraries. None of these can be checked out. They must be read on premises.
Written Comments by June 25
If you want to comment on this Draft Environmental Impact Statement, you must do so by June 25 to:
Mike Sotak
PRMD
2550 Ventura Ave
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Or email Mike Sotak at:
msotak@sonoma-county.org
Public Hearing June 3 at 1:10PM
The public hearing to accept written or oral comments on the DEIR on June 3 at 1:10PM at the Planning Commission Hearing Room, 2550 Ventura Ave, Santa Rosa.
FPA Town Meeting on EIR, June 19, 10:00 AM, Oddfellows Hall, Corner of 116 and Covey (across from Carr’s Drive In).
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