Cemex is not giving up on Jesse Morrow Mountain... And neither are the people who live right near it.
Cemex wasted no time filing an appeal after the Fresno County Planning Commission denied their permit to mine Jesse Morrow Mountain.
That appeal goes before the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, and the corporate mining company is optimistic the board will see things their way.
But it's not the way of the Friends of Jesse Morrow Mountain.
Their way is Highway 180, and it's a scenic one... It was designated as such by the county back in October of 2000.
Donna Hacker, Sierra Gateway Trust: "You go past Minkler, the Minkler store, Dunnigan's Gap, Jesse Morrow, Mount Campbell, Bear Mountain."
Activists are fighting to preserve that scenic beauty along 180, and are now asking the State for a scenic highway designation.
But if Cemex has its way, that goes down with the mountain.
The group alleges Cemex has a long history of environmental violations.
The group claims Cemex has offered to pay the county over $350,000 a year to allow them to exceed acceptable pollution levels.
Rev. Chris Breedlove, College Community Congregational Church: "Cemex is promising profits and prosperity. When the fact is that their company is currently in the midst of striking deals to refinance their debt."
Dr. Richard Young, Ret. NASA: "So the question is, is there some overriding need for this mine that would contribute significantly to our already terrible air pollution problem?"
Cemex says the project would create jobs and much-needed supplies for infrastructure.
Cemex released a statement saying "There has been a lot of misinformation communicated about the project, but the fact is the mine will have limited visibility from the road, will not increase regional carbon emissions, and will have no effect on water supply."
Henry Perea, Fresno County Vice-Chair: "What we have to look at is as a community. What are the impacts to the community at large, from an air quality, traffic standpoint."
The mountain is in Supervisor Debbie Poochigian's district.
She's not yet saying which way she's leaning on the issue, but says her office has been getting a lot of concerns from people who live near Morrow Mountain.
She says those concerns will be addressed at Tuesday's board meeting (Aug. 28th).
The board is expecting a large crowd for the Jesse Morrow Mountain agenda item... So much so, that the entire meeting has been moved to the ballroom of the Fresno County Plaza Building at Tulare and M Streets.
The meeting starts at 9:00 a.m.
TXT 24
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