In his first order of business for the 2020 legislative session, State Sen. Scott Wilk (21st District) has introduced Senate Bill 797 (SB 797), a measure that would give the public the opportunity to weigh in before the Cemex mega mine can proceed.
“I have been committed to stopping this mining project for years and will continue that fight with Senate Bill 797,” Wilk said. “The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) ruled last year that Cemex owes the government more than $25 million in ‘in lieu of’ production payments because the mega-mine never went into production. While it is another nail in the coffin, we want to use every tool in the shed to ensure this mining proposal is done for good.”
SB 797 will re-open the public protest period on a State Water Resources Control Board application when a decision has not been made within 30 years from the applications original filing date.
“We can’t control what the federal government does, but we can impact how the state looks at these issues. A project of this magnitude should never be allowed to proceed after 30 years without allowing public comment,” Wilk added. “SB 797 will allow community members and locally elected officials the opportunity to make a case to state regulators as to why the Cemex mega mine would be disastrous to the Santa Clarita Valley.”
SB 797 will be referred to the appropriate Senate policy committees for hearings in the coming months.
