Mine Project Passes Environmental Test

As production manager for SP Milling, I have been involved with the design of the Sycamore Ranch project. It has been difficult to see this project portrayed in inaccurate terms in order to encourage opposition.

For almost three years before submitting a permit application, specialists and engineers studied every aspect of the Sycamore Ranch project. We encouraged their questions, concerns and criticisms.

Particularly important were the agricultural consultants, who actually drove the design of the project. We were fortunate to work with Bob Burns, former UC Extension farm advisor and one of the most respected agricultural consultants in the area. Agronomist Scott Bucy of Fruit Growers Laboratory worked with him and has now assumed responsibility for the agricultural consulting.

They were tough critics on water use, dust generation, fertilizer application and other operational features. They conducted research on the site, the soil, growing conditions and other areas where similar reclamation has been used.

Our consultants and engineers in other areas of specialty were equally diligent. That work and the project design were further scrutinized by Ventura County for more than two years in the environmental impact report process.

The EIR confirmed what our independent studies had shown: Sycamore Ranch is an excellent and important source of aggregate for construction, the mining area can be returned to orchards in small blocks as mining proceeds, and there will be little impact on the surrounding area.

I am confident that those who look at the facts in the EIR and accompanying studies will see through the inaccuracies painted by project opposition, and will understand my confidence in our ability to see that Sycamore Ranch is a model mining and reclamation operation for Ventura County.

WILLIAM H. BUTLER

Camarillo