header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
April 18
1945 - Actors Harry & Olive Carey sell Saugus ranch after 29 years; now Tesoro del Valle [story]
Carey Ranch


By Matthew Renda, Courthouse News

sand mineMARINA, Calif. (CN) – The 10-person California Coastal Commission voted unanimously to approve a settlement that requires Cemex – Mexican multinational building material company – to close its sand mine in Marina, California, just north of Monterey by December 2020.

Cemex’s Marina sand mine is the only remaining coastal sand mine in the United States.

The commission voted to approve the settlement in its meeting Thursday.

“To phase out of the last beach sand mine in the United States located in an area of one of the highest erosion rates in our state is an incredible accomplishment,” said Jack Ainsworth, California Coastal Commission executive director. “This will be remembered as one of the most significant accomplishments in a long list of coastal protection actions undertaken by this body.”

The settlement was about a year and a half in the making, after the coastal commission sent Cemex a notice of intent letter last spring informing the company it would begin a cease-and-desist process.

Several environmental organizations, including Save Our Shores, Surfrider and others began to demand that the coastal commission shut down the mine, citing the detrimental environmental impacts the sand mine was causing in the southern reach of the Monterey Bay.

Specifically, the distinctive sand dunes characteristic of Monterey Bay are eroding at a rate of 3 to 6 feet per year – one of the highest rates of beach erosion in the state, according to several peer-reviewed scientific studies.

Cemex representatives have taken issue with that characterization, saying the factors involved in the localized beach erosion are many and complex.

“We respectfully disagree on several matters of fact and law, but we set those aside today in the interest of seeking resolution of this matter,” Jerae Carlson, vice president of sustainability and public affairs for Cemex, said during the meeting.

Ed Thornton, who has been working to shutter the sand mine since the 1980s when he first noticed the pronounced coastal erosion as a coastal engineer for the Postgraduate Navy School in Monterey, said the sand mind is almost totally responsible for the loss of beaches in the area.

“I would expect that when they stop sand mining in Marina, because there is still sand coming from the Salinas River, that the shoreline will start to grow again,” Thornton said.

The exuberant optimism expressed by Thornton was widespread during Thursday’s meeting, as the vast majority of attendees were in favor of the settlement and gave a prolonged standing ovation after the commission took the vote.

“When you think of how long that mine has been in operation under various owners and how much damage it has caused and now it is going to come to an end, it is a historic moment,” said Katherine O’Dea, executive director of Save Our Shores.

O’Dea has teamed up with Thornton and Jennifer Savage of Surfrider to pressure the commission for the past two years. She made sure to not only recognize the commission and other state agencies, but the willingness of Cemex to reach a resolution.

“I really do commend Cemex for coming to the table,” O’Dea said. “I think they saw the pressure that was brought to bear on them, but then they stepped up.”

Cemex will phase out sand mining, as it will give the company the opportunity to retrain and transition the many employees who earn a living working at the mine.

“There needs to be a transition process so that it does not unfairly impact workers,” Carlson said.

The sand mine has been in operation for more than a century, with operations at the property dating back to 1906. In the 1970s, regulators first began looking at sand mines in Monterey Bay, as there were at least seven in operation.

Many of the competing mines were shuttered, largely because they used a drag line to haul sand in from the nearby ocean bottom. Conversely, the Cemex sand mine uses a dredge pond, which allows large ocean swells in winter to dump sand in a pond in the middle of its 400-acre property.

After the sand accumulates throughout the winter, it operates a 30 by 60-foot dredge that sucks the sand out of the pond. The company then transports the sand to the plant on property where it is sifted, stored and shipped for use in building materials, mostly concrete.

The cessation of the sand mine was not the only good news for supporters of the Monterey Bay coastline, as part of the agreement between the parties stipulates that Cemex will transfer the land to either a nonprofit or governmental entity with the purpose of preserving the natural resources while allowing public access.

“It’s a great recreational opportunity,” Ainsworth said. “The future acquisition will create thousands of acres of contiguous open space and dune habitat.”

The unique dune habitat in the Monterey Bay provides a home for federally threatened species like the Monterey spineflower and the Smith’s blue butterfly.

The agreement stipulates that Cemex can withdraw no more than a total of 720,000 tons of sand over the final three years of operation, or no more than 240,000 tons annually.

The agreement is subject to third-party monitoring. If Cemex fails to honor the agreement, it could face fines up to $10,000 per day.

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

0 Comments

You can be the first one to leave a comment.

Leave a Comment


SCV NewsBreak
LOCAL NEWS HEADLINES
Thursday, Apr 18, 2024
June 1: Rare Warrior 24 Race Benefiting Project Sebastian
Join local nonprofit Project Sebastian for an exhilarating day of racing and community support at its Rare Warrior 24 race on Saturday, June 1, at Heritage Park in the heart of Santa Clarita.
Thursday, Apr 18, 2024
April 27: Drug Take Back Day at SCV Sheriff’s Station
Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station Station deputies will be taking part in the “DEA National Drug Take Back Day,” Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in front of the SCV Sheriff’s Station, located at 26201 Golden Valley Road.
Thursday, Apr 18, 2024
April 30: COC Hosts Nonprofit Community Resource Fair
The College of the Canyons Center for Civic and Community Engagement—in collaboration with COC’s Golden Z Club—invites the community to attend the Nonprofit Community Resource Fair on Tuesday, April 30.
Keep Up With Our Facebook

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
The Master's University men's golf team shot a 13-under 275 to finish second at the Golden State Athletic Conference Men's Golf Championships held at Briarwood Country Club in Sun City West, Ariz.
TMU Men’s Golf Places 2nd, Women 5th at GSAC Championships
Join local nonprofit Project Sebastian for an exhilarating day of racing and community support at its Rare Warrior 24 race on Saturday, June 1, at Heritage Park in the heart of Santa Clarita.
June 1: Rare Warrior 24 Race Benefiting Project Sebastian
Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station Station deputies will be taking part in the “DEA National Drug Take Back Day,” Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in front of the SCV Sheriff’s Station, located at 26201 Golden Valley Road.
April 27: Drug Take Back Day at SCV Sheriff’s Station
The College of the Canyons Center for Civic and Community Engagement—in collaboration with COC’s Golden Z Club—invites the community to attend the Nonprofit Community Resource Fair on Tuesday, April 30.
April 30: COC Hosts Nonprofit Community Resource Fair
College of the Canyons made quick work of visiting L.A. Valley College in a shortened 11-3 home victory that came on a day in which the program unveiled its newly named Michele Jenkins Softball Team Room during a pre-game dedication ceremony.
Lady Cougs Outslug L.A. Valley 11-3
For aspiring scientists at The Master’s University, taking up a student research project is no small commitment.
Retired Professor Continues to Mentor Aspiring TMU Scientists
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is warning residents not to use a Vietnamese herbal ointment called “Cao Bôi Trĩ Cây Thầu Dầu” (Castor Oil Hemorrhoid Extract) because it contains lead and can be fatal.
Public Health Urges Residents to Avoid Vietnamese Hemorrhoid Cream
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond hosted a California Apprenticeship Summit Wednesday to raise awareness of apprenticeship opportunities and career technical education pathways that connect California’s youth to high-wage, high-growth career opportunities.
State Apprenticeship Summit Connects Youth to High-Wage Opportunities
College of the Canyons student-athletes Nichole Muro (softball) and Angelo Aleman (baseball) have been named the COC Athletic Department's Women's and Men's Student-Athletes of the Week for the period running April 8-13.
COC Names Nichole Muro, Angelo Aleman Athletes of the Week
California State Sen. Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, announced Wednesday his bill improving transparency between parents and schools’ sexual education curricula passed out of the Senate Education Committee.
Wilk’s Sex Education Transparency Bill Clears Senate Committee
1945 - Actors Harry & Olive Carey sell Saugus ranch after 29 years; now Tesoro del Valle [story]
Carey Ranch
The 76.6-mile-long Antelope Valley Line has the third-highest ridership in Metrolink’s system with an estimated average of 9,000 passengers daily. However, the uneven terrain and single-tracking along the line in some areas forces trains to travel at a slower speed which results in an estimated travel time of approximately one hour between Santa Clarita and Union Station.
Metrolink to Hold Public Meetings on AV Line Capacity, Improvements
Team Dragon Eyes, affectionately known as TDE, is gearing up to host its highly anticipated Fifth Annual Dragonboat Festival race on Saturday, June 1 at Castaic Lake, Lower Lagoon.
June 1: Team Dragon Eyes to Host Fifth Annual Dragonboat Festival Race
This year marks the 20th year that the city of Santa Clarita has been hosting the annual Bike to Work Challenge. The community is invited to celebrate by riding a bike to work the week of May 13, and stopping by a pit stop on Thursday, May 16.
Party at the Pit Stop, City Paves Way for 20th Annual Bike to Work Challenge
Ready to take control of your financial future? Join the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs Center for Financial Empowerment for the next installment in the Lunch & Learn Financial Capability Month webinar series, "Understanding Credit.
Online Financial Workshops with County DCBA
The Santa Clarita Valley Concert Band will perform a "Starry Might" concert at 7 p.m. on Saturday May 4. The concert, under the direction of Tim Durand, will be held at the Canyon Theatre Guild, 24242 Main St., Newhall, CA 91321.
May 4: SCV Concert Band Presents ‘Starry Night’ at CTG
After a record-setting 2023 combatting organized retail crime, the California Highway Patrol continues to aggressively disrupt and dismantle illegal operations throughout California.
CHP Continues Organized Retail Crime Crackdown, Recovers $4.2M in Goods
Celebrate Earth Day on Monday, April 22 with California State Parks at any of the 280 unique park units across the state. State Parks has numerous Earth Day-themed events planned. They include in-person activities such as guided walks and hikes, workdays and a bioblitz, as well as virtual programming with a live dive broadcast exploring the hidden world of the ocean.
April 22: Celebrate Earth Day at California State Parks
1930 - Telephone switchboard operator Louise Gipe, heroine of the 1928 St. Francis Dam disaster, tries & fails to kill herself over an unrequited love [story]
Louise Gipe
Los Angeles County Sheriff Department’s Major Crimes Bureau Detectives worked closely with Century Station Detectives after learning of a serial robbery crew committing crimes throughout Los Angeles County. 
Serial Robbery Crew Arrested
Join the Samuel Dixon Family Health Center for their second annual Cornhole Tournament fundraiser where all proceeds will support mental health services to anyone in need.
May 18: Samuel Dixon Cornhole Tournament Fundraiser
California State University, Northridge will confer honorary doctorates on four alumni, all respected leaders in their fields, at the university’s commencement ceremonies next month.
CSUN to Confer Honorary Degrees on Business & Education Leaders, All Alumni
On Saturday, April 20, 2024 Valencia High School Theatre will host the 104th DTASC (Drama Teachers’ Association of Southern California) Shakespeare Festival.
April 20: 104th DTASC Shakespeare Festival at Valencia High School
The Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity, in partnership with Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, launched the Commercial Acquisition Fund to provide capital to countywide non-profit organizations, helping acquire and revitalize commercial spaces within local communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.   
County Launches Commercial Acquisition Fund To Help Non-Profits
SCVNews.com