Lehigh Hanson has begun the application process to open a new mine at its site in the Santa Clara County hills west of Cupertino.
The company, which been permitted to mine at its current Permanente Quarry site since 1939, has begun the pre-application process with Santa Clara County officials.
“Lehigh has begun the pre-application process with the County,” said Erika Guerra, Environmental Director for Lehigh Hanson. “There will be an application followed by a robust environmental review, community outreach process and formal consideration of the application.”
According to documents made public recently, Santa Clara County Department of Planning staff met with Lehigh representatives on April 2nd, to discuss Lehigh’s application, which has yet to be formally filed.
The application, if approved, would allow for a second quarry pit to continue mining operations as it works to meet the strong market demand for locally-sourced cement.
In addition to opening the new mining site, Lehigh’s application would allow it to extract and grade in tiers along the northern ridgeline of the site’s existing quarry pit. Lehigh is also seeking to begin reclamation of its current quarry site, while executing reclamation plans concurrent with mining operations at its new site.