The Environment

Locally, being bordered by the Lehigh Cement plant and Stevens Creek Quarry, we have had a history of environmental challenges due to the nature and proximity of these facilities along with having two major freeways and several arterials, and being south of at least 5 refineries and the major Port of Oakland. As Chair of the Environmental Review Committee I brought the first training sessions to both that committee and the Planning Commission to educate these bodies on CEQA. In the coming months the Lehigh Cement Plant will have a Notice of Preparation (NOP) for an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) become available for public comment for their Reclamation Plan. The Plan includes filling in a pit which will require 600 new truck trips over an astonishing 30 years and expansion of their mining area. There are many environmental issues to be ironed out with this proposal which requires technical oversight and agency inititaive to ensure community involvement in the CEQA process. As a City Council member I will ensure that the environmental quality of our environment is enhanced and that we do our duty to protect the health and safety of our community and advocate for the surrounding communities to do the same.