COUNTY DELAYS HEARING ON CANYON GRAVEL MINE.

Byline: Heather MacDonald Staff Writer

LOS ANGELES - The county Board of Supervisors delayed Tuesday a crucial hearing on a proposed Canyon Country sand and gravel pit, agreeing with Santa Clarita city officials that more time is needed to examine the environmental effects.

On a 4-0 vote, the supervisors approved a 90-day delay, instead of the 120-day delay requested by city officials, moving the hearing to Jan. 23. First District Supervisor Gloria Molina was absent.

Councilwoman Laurene Weste and Deputy City Manager Rick Putnam told the board that environmental documents submitted by Transit Mixed Concrete of Azusa are incomplete and leave out important information about air and water quality - claims company officials deny.

``There are still issues about the health of the community, the economy, transportation and the film industry,'' Weste told the board.

This week, city officials will call about 400 Santa Clarita residents who signed up to ride city-sponsored buses to the Oct. 24 hearing and inform them of the delay, said city spokeswoman Gail Ortiz.

Opponents of the mine are worried that it would pollute the air, harm the Santa Clara River, deplete the Santa Clarita Valley's water supply and choke the freeways with traffic.

However, Transit Mixed Concrete officials said the mine would not harm the area's environment and would provide crucial raw materials for construction and public works projects.

``The city's arguments are not logical,'' said Transit Mixed Concrete's environmental affairs manager, Brian Mastin.

Mastin said he was disappointed by the delay, but was encouraged by City Attorney Deborah Prosser's statement that the matter could be concluded in one hearing.

The delay also allows an additional 60 days of public comment on the additional environmental data submitted by Transit Mixed Concrete officials in August.

Fourth District Supervisor Don Knabe said he had been bombarded with letters from opponents of the mine.

City officials will begin phase two of their marketing campaign to keep residents ``informed, aware and inflamed,'' Ortiz said.

Ortiz said she planned to hold ``e-mail parties'' that would provide computers for residents to e-mail the supervisors letters about their opposition to the mine.

``(Knabe) hasn't seen anything yet,'' Ortiz said. ``The delay will give more people a chance to get involved.''

Under a 1916 federal mining law, the Board of Supervisors can only impose ``reasonable environmental restrictions'' on mining projects controlled by the federal government. Although the land is owned by Ben Curtis of Curtis Sand and Gravel, the federal government controls the mining rights.

Transit Mixed Concrete's plan to dig 73 million tons out of the Soledad Canyon hillside, south of the Antelope Valley Freeway between Soledad Canyon and Agua Dulce Canyon roads, was approved by the federal Bureau of Land Management in August.

Transit Mixed Concrete officials are confident that approval gives them the right to move ahead.

Twenty local agencies, organizations and individuals, including two local school districts and the city, have appealed the BLM's approval of the mine.

In addition to the permit from the supervisors, Transit Mixed Concrete must get a dozen other permits from state and regional agencies, including the State Water Control Board.

For those who signed up to ride the bus on Oct. 24, call the city for more information at [phone].