Marin Independent Journal

Wednesday, October 9, 2002

Check out Photos From the Protest!

For more information, contact:

Bradley Angel Greenaction

(415) 248-5010

Protesters rally at San Rafael quarry

By Richard Halstead

About 25 people staged a demonstration at the entrance to the San Rafael Rock Quarry yesterday to protest diesel emissions caused by the constant stream of trucks entering and exiting, and the amount of off-site dust generated by the quarry's operation.

"On many days, and weekends I literally cannot be in my own garden because of the fumes," said Veroniqui Raskin, who lives across the road from the quarry entrance on Point San Pedro Road.

"There are huge amounts of dust - I've stopped washing my windows," said Sairan Stanley, who also lives nearby.

The demonstrators, including 1st District supervisorial candidate Susan Adams, noted that the diesel trucks - sometimes several hundred a day - pass close by the playground of San Pedro School. Last month, the federal Environmental Protection Agency released a report confirming earlier California studies that diesel exhaust from trucks, buses and other equipment likely triggers asthma attacks and causes cancer.

"This is the only place in Marin County where my asthma reacts," Adams said. "I've already had to take two hits off my inhaler."

But neighbors of the 750-acre Point San Pedro mining operation weren't the only ones waving protest signs yesterday. They were joined by about 10 members of Greenaction, a San Francisco-based environmental organization. Greenaction became involved at the request of quarry neighbor Jonathan Frieman.

It has been more than year since the quarry was slapped with suits from the state Attorney General's Office, the county, and the Point San Pedro Coalition.

The suits, filed in Marin County Superior Court, allege that the quarry is operating in excess of its legal entitlements and creating a public nuisance by generating harmful dust, excessive noise and traffic congestion. The Dutra Group, which operates the quarry, has maintained that it is operating within its vested rights, as determined by the county in 1972.

On Nov. 1, Marin County Superior Court Judge Vernon Smith is expected to hear, and possibly rule on, motions that could result in the closing or scaling back of operations at the quarry, said Jim Flageollet, chief deputy county counsel.

But Frieman, co-founder of the San Pedro Road Coalition, said he isn't content to wait for a court ruling.

"The court hearing could go against us," Frieman said. "So I'm trying to appeal to the court of public opinion."

Bradley Angel, Greenaction's executive director, said yesterday's demonstration was just a warning shot across the quarry's bow. If the quarry fails to respond to the latest plea for a dramatic reduction in the amount of truck traffic and an end to dust emissions, Angel promised an escalation of action against it.

"They have 30 days to actually implement some changes or they're going to face peaceful but very intense protest. The clock starts ticking today," Angel said. "We will make the pressure so intense the company will have no choice but to respond."

Angel said Greenaction requested a meeting with company officials two weeks ago but got no response. But Aimi Dutra, a spokeswoman for The Dutra Group, said she hadn't heard from Angel.

"I don't know who he would have been in contact with because we're always open to discuss any of the issues that are out there with the neighborhood or the community," Dutra said.

As for the concern about the diesel fumes created by the trucks, Dutra said that more truck traffic would be generated on Highway 101 if rock and gravel for local projects had to be imported from outside the county.

"We'd only be shifting the issue to another area of the community," Dutra said.

She said The Dutra Group will not bow to pressure from protesters.

"We're going to continue to operate our business in a responsible manner," Dutra said.