Gravel Mine Proposed for Cherokee

The Mining Application and Reclamation Plan was filed with the Butte County Planning Department by Advanced Mineral Technology of Nevada. Inc. on February 15, 2001 for Sugarloaf Mine at Cherokee. It was then reviewed at the Mining Committee meeting on March 6, 2001. General recommendations and comments were made by the committee.

The project description is as follows: the applicant proposed to mine and process silica sand on a 798 acre site. Ancillary heavy minerals including zircon, chromium, gold and micro-diamonds shall also be removed from the sand product during processing. The mine will occupy approximately 125 acres. Mining activity will occur in five phases over 23 years. A total of 5,747 (+/-) cubic yards of material will be mined. The applicant also proposes a Reclamation Plan pursuant to the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act. The Reclamation Plan proposes an open space preserve of mixed oak/conifer woodland as a final end use of the property. Reclamation will begin 6 months after mining begins, and will follow mining activity through each phase.

The project will be an open pit mine, with a transfer line and a processing plant on site. This mining operation will impact a residential area with small children living above it and a public school below it. Health is of concern to those in the neighborhood after hearing about silicosis, a disease which affects your lungs, (like asbestos-type diseases). Traffic will be impacted as big rigs travel in and out all day on an already dangerous road, especially when school buses are on it. Water quantity and quality are of concern to residents near the site and below the site. Will the mining operation be taking water laterally from local wells? What toxins will end up downstream? Currently, the levels of iron and fluoride are very high at Spring Valley School. They have been drinking bottled water for most of the school year. Mercury was used heavily in the past at the Cherokee site. When they start digging, how much of it will resurface and travel down the Sawmill Ravine to the grounds next to Spring Valley School and into the wells? Noise is also of concern to the residents. They currently live in a very tranquil environment. Scenic vistas will also be affected for many residents, as well as people traveling on Scenic Highway 70, as the processing plant will be visible from the highway.

Butte County will be the Lead Agency and will prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the project. A Notice of Preparation Of a Draft EIR was sent to many agencies which may have knowledge or expertise in areas that pertain to this application on February 27, 2001. Some of the agencies or groups contacted are as follows: Department of Water Resources, Department of conservation, Office of Historic Preservation, Department of Fish and Game, Butte County Air Quality Management District, Spring Valley Elementary School, Cherokee Preservation Society, Cherokee Watershed Group and the Butte Environmental Council, just to name a few. These agencies have 30 days in which to respond to the Lead Agency with their concerns or comments.

A copy of the application can be obtained by using the following contact info:
Butte County Dept of Developmental Services Planning Division
7 County Center Drive
Oroville CA 95965
Attn: Daniel Breedon, Senior Planner

This column originally appeared in March 29, 2001 in the Chico Examiner.