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“At least for the time being, this ban gives us partial relief from our legitimate, ongoing concerns that turning Scenic Highway 33 and the town of Ojai into an industrialized heavy trucking transportation zone would have significant and lasting impacts on both the air quality of the Ojai Valley while also unnecessarily risking the lives, health, safety and welfare of the thousands of folks who use this route,” said Michael Shapiro, chair of the Stop the Trucks! Coalition.

“We’re pleased that the County and the applicant finally recognized what we’ve been saying all along – that Scenic Highway 33 is not suitable as an industrial trucking route,” said Jeff Kuyper, executive director of Los Padres ForestWatch, a nonprofit organization working to protect the national forest and an active participant in the Stop the Trucks Coalition. “The wild landscapes, quiet solitude, and scenic vistas of the Los Padres National Forest are safe for now.”

When initially proposed in 2006, the mine applicants proposed to send as many as 138 daily truck trips to and from the mine along Scenic Highway 33 through the Ojai Valley and the Los Padres National Forest. The trucks would rumble along the narrow, winding mountain road, passing directly by popular swimming holes, campgrounds, hiking trails, wilderness areas, and a ten-mile stretch of Sespe Creek, recommended for protection under the federal Wild & Scenic Rivers Act. Once in Ojai, the trucks would pass by hundreds of residences and several schools in this small valley whose economy is heavily dependent on tourism.

When added to existing truck traffic, this truck traffic would have resulted in one truck every four minutes during peak production, according to the Environmental Impact Report for the mine.

However, in approving Condition 34 to the mine’s permit, the Commission effectively avoided these significant impacts. Condition 34 bans all truck traffic from the Diamond Rock mine, stating: “Truck traffic to and from the Diamond Rock project site shall be prohibited through Ojai,” including the Los Padres National Forest. The condition also specifies that these trucks shall not be re-routed in other directions, essentially resulting in a 20% decrease in mining operations.

The Diamond Rock mine must still secure permits from other state and federal agencies. There is also a ten-day period following yesterday’s Commission action for project opponents, including residents of the Cuyama Valley, to appeal the project based on groundwater, air pollution, and quality of life issues.

While celebrating this hard-fought victory, ForestWatch and the Coalition remain concerned that the mining company can apply to lift the trucking ban anytime in the future. ForestWatch and the Coalition will continue to demand that the ban remains permanent as the project winds its way through the County appeal process.

“We believe that the environmental impact report fails to adequately analyze Highway 33 to determine its long-term safety and efficacy for wide spread industrial utilization,” said Michael Shapiro, chair of the Stop the Trucks! Coalition. “Until and unless the current EIR establishes a permanent ban on such utilization – with adequate redress if such a ban is ever lifted – the Coalition will remain proactive in opposing any such utilization, anytime in the future.”

In addition to Diamond Rock, two existing sand and gravel mines also on the Cuyama River – the Ozena Sand & Gravel mine and the GPS River Rock Products mine – are seeking to dramatically expand their operations, as well as one new mine just downstream of the Diamond Rock facility. If approved, these mines could send hundreds of additional trucks through Ojai and the Los Padres National Forest. Hearings and environmental documents for these mines are scheduled to begin later this summer.