Mona Shield Payne / Special to the Home News
Going door to door, George Meese, left, and Frank Blaha, right, stop at the home of Linda November, center left, and Arthur Schroeck, center right, Dec. 11 to ask for signatures on a petition by the Sun City Anthem Community BLM Mining Issue Ad Hoc Committee against the proposed construction of an open pit mine near the community.
Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2008 | midnight
More information
For more information about the proposed open pit mine, contact the Bureau of Land Management's Shonna Dooman at 515-5174. For information about the petition, contact committee Chairman George Meese at [email protected].
Sun City Anthem residents are circulating petitions against what a Bureau of Land Management official is calling the largest combined mining operation proposed to the Las Vegas field office.
The 640-acre site near the Interstate 15 Sloan exit is about five miles southwest of the Anthem senior community. A mining company representative said the operation will be far away from homes, but Sun City Anthem residents disagree. Residents have mobilized against the mineral contract that some fear will trigger health problems.
"I think it will have health and economic effects," said Joan Patrick, who opposes the proposed open pit mine. "It will lower property values and cause health problems."
Arthur Schroeck, a 70-year-old writer and musician, signed the petition, because he feared mining dust could flare up his respiratory problems.
"It will stink, reek here," he said.
The Sun City Anthem five-member committee opposing the project has collected 1,200 signatures so far. It will gather signatures into the new year. About 12,000 people live in Sun City Anthem.
The committee has also enlisted the help of the boards of directors at Anthem Highlands, Anthem Country Club and Madeira Canyon.
An environmental impact statement should be completed in mid- to late 2009, said Shonna Dooman, BLM geologist and environmental impact statement project manager for the Las Vegas field office. Its release will be followed by a series of public hearings.
"The reason we're doing the environmental impact statement is to obtain the information that management needs to decide what's in the best interest: to offer these contracts or to keep it the way it is," she said.
Cemex, a global building materials corporation, and Service Rock Products, a regional supplier, propose to mine limestone for construction under a 10-year contract, with the option to renew for another 10 years.
Cemex and Service Rock would pay the federal government for the minerals based on an amount determined by a competitive auction.
Mike Ford, a Service Rock consultant, said there would be digging and low-impact blasting only during the day at the sand and gravel mining operation. There is no plan for an asphalt plant.
"The environmental impacts are going to be analyzed and at the end of the day, the BLM will make a decision consistent with its planning," he said.
The BLM sells mining material regularly to corporations. There was a small operation in the area in the 1990s, Dooman said.
Becky Bosshart can be reached at 990-7748 or [email protected].
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