| ITEM | DESCRIPTION |
| Committee Operating Guidelines & Procedures | Governing document for the S.R. Rock Quarry Committee |
| San Rafael Rock Quarry Combined Final Environmental Impact Report | The Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) was released on January 29, 2009, replacing the Draft EIR. It was certified by the Board of Directors on October 27, 2009. It is available on CD from Marin County and can be obtained online on this page which contains all County documents related to the Quarry (for the FEIR, you will need to scroll down to the bottom of the page for the links to three documents comprising the FEIR). |
| Marin County Board of Supervisors Hearings on the FEIR August 25, 2009 October 27, 2009 | Marin County Board of Supervisors meetings on Tuesday, August 25, 2009 and Tuesday, October 27, 2009 for the final public hearings on the FEIR. The BOS voted to certify the FEIR at the October 27, 2009 hearing. Click on the 08/25/09 Video event or the 10/27/09 Video event in the list of past Board of Supervisors 2009 meetings. Scroll down to the agenda item and click on it (Item 16 for 08/25/09 and Item 17 for 10/27/09). |
| Nov. 5, 2021 SPRC Letter to BOS on Quarry Addendum | The SRRQ submitted an addendum to the SRRQ’s Operating Permit and FEIR requesting an extension of their permit from 2024 to 2044. This letter is the SPRC’s response to that request. The BOS approved the request on November 2, 2021. |
| SRRQ PERMIT and AMENDMENT | |
| SRRQ Operating Permit | This is the full Operating Permit as approved by the Marin County Board of Supervisors on September 28, 2010. There is also a summary of this permit available on the Operating Permit Summary page. |
| SRRQ Request for Amendment | SRRQ Request on May 22, 2013 t to Amend the current Operating Permit to allow the importation of recycled asphalt grindings |
| BOS Resolution approving the Amendment | The BOS approved this resolution on July 16, 2013 for Amendment #2 of the SRRQ Operating Permit which authorizes the importation of asphalt grindings and production of asphalt using this recycled product. |
| BOS-approved Addendum to SRRQ Permit | The BOS approved an addendum to the SRRQ operating permit extending the operation for 20 years, through 2044. |
| LEGAL ACTION DOCUMENTS | |
| April 19, 2004 Court Order | The judgement of the Superior Court of California, County of Marin, on the conditions required for the continued operation of the San Rafael Rock Quarry |
| Coalition Legal Response #1 | Letter on July 1, 2013 from the Coalition’s attorney, John Edgcomb, to the Board of Supervisors opposing the requested amendment to import asphalt grindings |
| Coalition Legal Response #2 | Letter on July 15, 2013 from the Coalition’s attorney, John Edgcomb, to the Board of Supervisors further opposing the requested amendment |
| 2016 Court Decision | The text of the decision handed down by Judge Haakenson of the Superior Court of Marin County voiding the decision of the Marin County Supervisors’ September 15, 2015 approval of the resolution granting an amendment of the Quarry’s operating permit to import asphalt grindings for recycling. |
| 2019 First District Court of Appeal Ruling Prohibiting Quarry Expansion | The First District Court of Appeal ruling that affirms the Marin County Superior Court ruling in favor of the Coalition’s 2016 lawsuit in which we contested the County’s unlawful issuance of a permit allowing San Rafael Rock Quarry expansion. |
| SAN RAFAEL ROCK QUARRY INFORMATION | |
| Quarry History | A recent history of the Quarry property |
| County Info on Quarry History | A summary of the Quarry history starting in the 1800’s from the Marin County perspective. |
| Quarry Photos Over the Years | A series of photos of the Quarry excavation over the last couple of decades |
| San Rafael Rock Quarry Website | The San Rafael Rock Quarry is owned by Dutra Materials, a subsidiary of the Dutra Group. |
| QUARRY-RELATED ARTICLES | |
| Marin IJ Article March 18, 2020 | “Marin County approves San Rafael quarry analysis contract” article on the Marin County Supervisors approving a contract to review the existing EIR in light of the SRRQ request to extend operations to 2044. |
| American Lung Association | Some interesting documents from the American Lung Association regarding the health risks of particulate air pollution. Go to their site and search for “Particle Air Pollution” and “Particulate Air Pollution”. |
| Crystalline Silica Hazard Recognition U.S. Dept. of Labor | Silicosis is a disabling, nonreversible and sometimes fatal lung disease caused by overexposure to respirable crystalline silica. Recognizing potential hazards is key in preventing and minimizing the effects of silica exposure. This U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) website provides information and links related to this topic. |
| Air Pollution from Nearby Traffic and Children’s Health State of California | Spending a lot of time near roads with high traffic can be a potential health hazard. This fact sheet has been prepared by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), the California Air Resources Board (ARB), and the California Department of Health Services (DHS) to help parents understand the issues related to traffic pollution and children’s health. Additional links for more information can be found at this OEHHA site. |
| The Deadliest Air Pollution Isn’t Being Regulated or Even Measured By Peter Montague | For 20 years, scientific and medical studies have been showing that the tiniest particles of airborne soot are by far the most dangerous ones. But the government has consistently refused to regulate or even measure these invisible killers. Now there is evidence that “stricter” government regulations are allowing the numbers of these particles to increase. |
| SCS Engineers / Dr. Paul Damian Findings | Paul Damian, PhD, MPH, DABT, is the National Practice Leader for Risk Assessment and Toxicology with SCS Engineers in Sacramento, California, and a Board Certified Toxicologist. He was hired by the Coalition to assess the health risks caused by the Quarry’s blasting, mining, crushing and materials transport activities. In a letter that was included in the Coalition’s response to the FEIR (see below), he identified health issues related to these activities that were inadequately addressed in the FEIR. His focus was on crystalline silica (C-silica) and diesel particulate matter (DPM) generated by these activities that have been identified as carcinogenic and hazardous to health by California, federal and international health organizations such as the International Agency for Research on Cancer. He distinguished between naturally occurring or “aged” C-silica and that which was created recently by the blasting, mining and crushing of rock that occurs at the Quarry. The latter C-silica has sharp, jagged edges while the former generally has smooth edges. If inhaled, the “jagged” C-silica lodges in the lungs and is not readily expelled. It accumulates in the lungs, causing irritation that can result in lung damage such as silicosis and cancer. C-silica created by blasting is also much more chemically reactive than “aged” C-silica. This increases the irritation to the lungs. This problem can be compounded with the co-existence of other particulate matter such as DPM (from diesel trucks), which is a carcinogen in its own right. Dr. Damian finds that many of the statements and conclusions in the FEIR with regard to the danger of C-silica and DPM are misleading and significantly underestimate these dangers. He found that the FEIR did not include any supporting evidence regarding the expected highest 1-hour concentrations of these two contaminants nor any short-term averages of them and that no acute evaluation of them was actually conducted. He points out that, in fact, the FEIR modeling files which he reviewed show that the maximum 7-hour average concentration of C-silica is roughly 20 times greater than the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists occupational exposure limit. However, this information was not included in the FEIR nor taken into consideration in the FEIR findings. Dr. Damian points out that the health risk assessment improperly averaged risks over a 70-year period with the assumption that the Quarry would operate for 17 years and then cease operations for the remaining 53 years. However, (1) there is no commitment by the Quarry that it will cease operations in the 17th year (and strong reason to believe it will continue to mine indefinitely) and (2) the FEIR does not consider the short-term health risks to individuals exposed to these contaminants during the operational timeframe, including young people and the elderly. |
| Marin IJ Article on 11/5/2021 | Article titled “Marin supervisors extend San Rafael quarry authorization“ on BOS Approval of SRRQ Extension of Operating Permit from 2024 to 2044 |