FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ/KFSN) — A bill introduced by Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula aimed at stopping a century-long mining project in Fresno County did not make it out of committee Monday afternoon.
That mining project would drill a 600-foot deep pit near the San Joaquin River in Fresno County.
Arambula introduced a bill, AB1425, which went before the Natural Resources Committee in Sacramento this afternoon.
It would have disqualified building materials company CEMEX’s proposed 100-year mining expansion project utilizing hard rock mining, blasting and drilling that deep pit.
CEMEX is a rock, sand and gravel mining operation and currently runs a plant that crushes materials used in the building industry.
The San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust has been strongly opposed to the project because of it’s potential impact on the environment.
The nonprofit held a town hall recently that hundreds attended and encouraged people to make the trip up to Sacramento this afternoon.
Our news partner ABC 30 Action News reached out to CEMEX but did not hear back before this story aired.
Last month, the company sent us a statement saying it is committed to environmental restoration and wildlife protection through its reclamation plan for the site.
A representative from CEMEX also spoke against Arambula’s bill during Monday’s hearing.
The committee will reconsider the bill in January but at this time the members decided since the environmental report is not complete yet, it is too early to act.
The project is still moving through the process laid out in the California Environmental Quality Act. The results could prevent the mining project or could allow it to move forward.
Activists say the community effort to stop it will continue.
