Public Information Meeting on Lehigh Cement Plant and Quarry

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

San Jose – Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian invites the public to participate in a multi-agency informational meeting related to operations at Lehigh Cement Plant and Quarry.

Date:         Wednesday, November 16
Time:         7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.)
Location:  Cupertino Community Hall, 10350 Torre Avenue, Cupertino

In addition to allowing the public an opportunity to pose questions, the meeting provides a reporting-out opportunity for the various agencies that oversee operations at Lehigh, and is happening at the request of Supervisor Simitian.

In April 2014, Simitian issued a memo to County Executive Jeff Smith effectively asking the County to step-up its oversight role. Simitian asked County staff to increase the frequency of on-site inspections, and to take the lead on organizing twice-yearly coordination meetings involving various local, regional, state and federal agencies with jurisdiction over Lehigh operations.

In addition to the inter-agency coordination meetings, Simitian requested an annual public meeting, essentially a report-out, intended to inform the public on recent activities by the various oversight agencies and an opportunity for the public to pose questions.

“Given that almost a dozen regulatory agencies have a role to play at the site, I thought it was a good idea to create a forum where the agencies can all talk to each other,” said Simitian. “The solution to a right hand/left hand not communicating problem,” he continued, “is to communicate. We’re doing that now.”

Oversight Agencies that have confirmed their participation include the San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Santa Clara County Planning Department, the Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health, the Santa Clara Valley Water District, the Santa Clara County Counsel, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

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