CITY ASKS FOR NO CEMEX CONTACT GOVERNOR TO VISIT MEXICO FOR TRADE.

Byline: JUDY O'ROURKE Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA -- City officials are prevailing on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to heed the voice of 250,000 local residents -- this as Election Day approaches -- and cancel any plans to meet with Cemex officials during a trade mission next month to Mexico.

The city has spent about $7 million battling the 56.1-million-ton sand and gravel mine planned on the outskirts of town, and voiced opposition to the Mexican conglomerate's project in a recent letter to the governor. The four-page letter asks Schwarzenegger to demonstrate his ``well-known commitment to preserving the quality of life for all Californians.''

Santa Clarita City Council members desire a face-to-face meeting with the governor, preferably before Cemex officials have his ear, the city's government liaison said.

``(City Council members) do not believe it is appropriate for the governor to meet with (officials) of Cemex in Mexico when we have this issue in the Santa Clarita Valley that directly affects his constituents,'' said Michael Murphy, the city's intergovernment relations officer. ``It's probably more appropriate he hear the view of his constituents first.''

Schwarzenegger plans to visit Mexico City on Nov. 9 and Monterrey the following day, but has no confirmed meeting with Cemex. Election Day is Nov. 7 and the governor faces Democratic challenger Phil Angelides.

``Everything is tentative,'' said Margita Thompson, Schwarzenegger's press secretary. ``We understand the residents of Santa Clarita feel passionately about this issue. That's why we want to make sure they have the opportunity to meet with people in this office, to lay out their case and see how we can move forward.''

Thompson said the office received a press release from the city but could not confirm the letter was received.

Cemex was granted mining rights by the federal Bureau of Land Management in 1990. The county had rejected the mine, but conceded when Cemex filed a lawsuit in federal court. County supervisors granted the mining permit in June 2004 under a court-approved consent decree.

Federal courts have repeatedly rejected the city's claims that the consent decree allows the federal government to disregard state environmental law. On Oct. 3, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the city's lawsuit, effectively stopping it from fighting the decree any further.

City officials acknowledge mining has been a key enterprise for decades and say they would not object to mining on the property at historic levels of 300,000 tons a year. They say the ``mega-mine'' is 16 times that amount.

Officials say they are conveying the concerns of a broad-based 8,000-member coalition. The group coalesced after individuals and organizations filled out forms on the city's Web site and sent pre-addressed postcards provided by the city to other government officials. Murphy said the city has simply provided the vehicle to carry the messages beyond its borders.

Cemex is the third-largest cement manufacturer in the world and the largest producer of ready mix. Its operations span 50 countries on four continents and the company would open its doors wide during the governor's visit.

``It is unfair for the city to ask the governor not to represent the interests of the rest of the state and people of California,'' said Susana Duarte, a spokeswoman for the company. ``I am sure his goals in this trade mission are much larger than just a medium-sized mine in the back of a canyon whose only purpose is to fulfill the dire need for aggregate in L.A. County.''

Murphy said Cemex must obtain permits from the state to operate the mine. Departments under the governor's purview would make decisions about granting the permits.

``He, certainly as the leader of the state of California, has the opportunity to say to Cemex `This mega-mining proposal is not good for California, not good for my constituents and I don't support it,'' Murphy said. ``You need to find a suitable compromise position with the citizens of the Santa Clarita Valley.'''