August 13, 2003

Stop the Apperson Ridge Quarry

If you thought the Sunol gravel quarry expansion was bad news:

In 1984, Alameda County approved the Apperson Ridge Quarry, a hard rock mine proposed east of the Sunol Valley, midway between Sunol Regional Wilderness and San Antonio Reservoir. Oliver de Silva, Inc. plans to destroy 680 acres of prime wildlife habitat in the heart of the home range of the San Antonio tule elk herd. The quarry will feature daily dynamite blasting that will be heard in Sunol Wilderness and the town of Sunol as well as up to 1,000 trucks per day on Calaveras Road.

Wildlands destroyed, tule elk and other wildlife displaced

The quarry activity and blasting will drive the East Bay’s only tule elk herd out of their rutting and calving area. The quarry and truck traffic will also impact nesting golden eagles and peregrine falcons, and damage habitat and disrupt migration for sensitive species such as the California red-legged frog, Alameda whipsnake, California tiger salamander and western burrowing owl. The quarry will also degrade habitat and impact water quality for landlocked steelhead trout in Indian Creek and Apperson Creek, above San Antonio Reservoir.

Inadequate, outdated environmental review

Alameda County conducted the EIR for the quarry in 1984. Since that time the whipsnake, red-legged frog, and tiger salamander have been listed under the Endangered Species Act. The County recently approved a permit for expansion of the ranch road that will provide truck access to the quarry. The County has proposed woefully inadequate mitigation for impacts to the red-legged frog and required absolutely no mitigation for impacts to other listed and sensitive species! The 1984 EIR proposed to relocate the tule elk herd to Ohlone Wilderness, a plan that has since been rejected by the Department of Fish and Game. Alameda County has indicated they will allow the quarry to go forward with no further environmental review and with full knowledge the quarrying will evict the San Antonio elk herd.

What you can do:

Write or call the Alameda County Planning Department and insist they conduct a new Environmental Impact Report for the quarry. The current EIR is 20 years old and does not address impacts to listed species. Tell the County it is unacceptable to displace the San Antonio elk herd.

Write to: James Sorensen, Director
Alameda County Planning Department
224 W. Winton Avenue, Room 110
Hayward, CA 94544
Or call: (510) 670-5333