Fillmore Mine’s Impacts Weighed

Two years ago, after spending most of 35 years in and around Ventura County, my wife and I decided to make our home in Fillmore. We had spent many months researching all the communities and concluded Fillmore had more in common with our lifestyle--good air quality and lots of green, open space--than anywhere else.

The news of the proposed S&P; Milling strip mine within one mile (upwind) of my house came as a shock. Now, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that this kind of activity--plus the Toland Landfill expansion--will impact the quality of my life.

What is more important here? The health and quality of life of real people, or the financial interest of a nonhuman corporation? People breathe air, corporations don’t. People suffer from respiratory diseases, corporations don’t. People pay the price for irresponsible environmental practices, corporations don’t.

KEN SMEDLEY

Fillmore

* It is very difficult to understand why the city of Fillmore apparently wants 100 gravel trucks a day traveling through town.

Recent claims that denial of the Sycamore Ranch project will “stop the trucks” is an example of emotional charges which ignore or disregard the facts.

Fact: With or without Sycamore Ranch, gravel trucks bringing material to our El Rio production facilities will travel on Highway 126.

With Sycamore Ranch, those gravel trucks will run on four-lane highways, through intersections designed to accommodate that traffic, and never through Fillmore. Without Sycamore Ranch, gravel trucks carrying imported material come from Bakersfield and right through Fillmore.

Fact: Sycamore Ranch would operate on a restricted schedule using about four employees and four pieces of equipment. Continuous reclamation means 90% of the area to be mined always is in orchards. It will not be seen from any surrounding roadways.

Trucks? About 10% of Highway 126 traffic currently is trucks. The Sycamore Ranch project would increase that amount by less than 1%--only during the restricted schedule of operation and not through Fillmore.

Fillmore complains about a project it will never see or hear. While we recognize there are people who simply do not want Sycamore Ranch approved, this project is not a threat to agriculture, to land use or quality of life of the Santa Clara River Valley.

Sycamore Ranch represents a 30-year supply of high-quality aggregate to supply half the market for construction materials in western Ventura County. If Ventura County cannot embrace such a minimal project for such maximum benefit, then what local source of raw material can be approved?

We encourage all interested in the Sycamore Ranch project to provide a reasoned assessment of any impacts on the basis of what actually is proposed.

BRIAN BRUBAKER

Vice president, general manager

Southern Pacific Milling Co.

Oxnard

* As a native of Fillmore and also a 28-year employee of SP Milling Co., I have attempted to respond to local people about the company’s plan for the Sycamore Ranch project.

As I have told them, I would hate to see our pretty little valley harmed. I live in a house my family has occupied for three generations. I hope to one day see my son live in that house.

If I thought the Sycamore Ranch project would harm our valley, I would not support it. But I do support it.

Western Ventura County needs a good supply of basic building material. SP Milling is a good company with more than 100 years of service to our county. I know of the planning and care put into the project so that Sycamore Ranch will operate in harmony with the area and the valley. The environmental impact report demonstrates the successful design.

I am equally loyal to my town and my company. I know Sycamore Ranch can operate without harm to our valley.

VIC WESTERBERG

Fillmore