Supervisors Deny Permit for Santa Clarita Mine

The fate of plans for a massive gravel mine outside Santa Clarita is now in the courts’ hands, as Los Angeles County supervisors Tuesday declined to grant a permit for the 460-acre project.

The supervisors, who had signaled their intent in February to reject the mine, contend the project will harm aesthetics, air quality and other aspects of the environment, according to findings released last week in support of their decision. The county also has been sparring with Transit Mixed Concrete, the company chosen to extract the federally owned gravel, over the effect of truck traffic on local roads.

The concrete company has filed a federal lawsuit against the county, contending supervisors illegally delayed the project, which has received federal approval. A trial date has not been set in the lawsuit to be heard by U.S. District Judge Dickran Tevrizian.

Federal law “says the county can impose reasonable environmental measures,” said Brian Mastin, a spokesman for parent company Cemex. “Is that what they’ve been doing, or have they just been blocking the federally approved project? That’s what the trial will determine.”