Gravel mine inches closer to decision.

Byline: JOE MOSLEY The Register-Guard

Lane County commissioners got closer to a decision Tuesday, but put off until this morning the final step in determining the fate of a 575-acre gravel mine proposed for farmland north of Santa Clara.

At the same time, commissioners also hinted that they might put off the final vote until later and allow more time to study the consequences of granting a Eugene Sand & Gravel rezoning application that was filed more than 2 1/2 years ago.

Eugene Sand President Mike Alltucker said he was encouraged by progress made during Tuesday's 6 1/2 hours of board deliberations.

"We're hopeful the staff will come back (this morning) and bring them back on track," he said.

Opponents of the gravel mine also said they were pleased with the way the session went - and that commissioners appear to be leaning toward an initial finding that Eugene Sand has failed to resolve seven potential problems that the mine would create.

Commissioners seemed most troubled by the mine's potential to increase flooding in the area of river bottom farmland, deplete a groundwater aquifer used for irrigation and produce crop-damaging amounts of dust.

"Those are some pretty huge issues that you'd have real trouble mitigating," said Lone Pine Farms owner Lori Jensen, who has led opposition to the mine with fellow produce farmer Randy Henderson of Thistledown Farms.

"Certainly, those are the most important issues to the farmers," Jensen said.

Commissioners are expected today to consider whether any conditions can be attached to the proposal that would reduce the conflicts to insignificant levels.

If not, they are required to conduct an "ESEE" analysis - a look at the economic, social, environmental and energy consequences on each side of the proposal - and make a final decision after weighing those findings against the remaining conflicts.

"We're obviously hopeful it doesn't go to that level," Alltucker said.

In an initial day of deliberations Feb. 20, commissioners reviewed five sources of potential conflict with the gravel mine proposal - state and local standards for noise, dust, flooding, groundwater depletion and road concerns.

They reviewed 11 more areas of potential conflict Tuesday - safety conflicts with the Eugene Airport; conflicts with riparian corridors, wetlands and wildlife habitat; and agricultural conflicts caused by dust, noise, groundwater depletion, flooding, traffic, inflated farmland costs and specific regulations regarding vineyards.

The company must provide evidence showing it can "minimize" any conflicts to insignificant levels, and commissioners determined by the end of the day that seven of the 16 conflict areas had not been adequately minimized: state and local flooding and groundwater depletion standards, riparian corridors, and specific agricultural impacts of dust, groundwater depletion, flooding and traffic.

Commissioners Peter Sorenson and Bill Dwyer were the most vocal with concerns about the conflicts, but Commissioners Anna Morrison and Bobby Green also chimed in on a couple of issues each and Commissioner Cindy Weeldreyer expressed concern about groundwater depletion - but said she believed the problem could be overcome.

"I do have some concerns about the flooding," Morrison said. "We have a plan here (provided by the company) that they think is going to work, and I'm not confident at this point that it can.

"Flooding and groundwater, those two together I'm having some problems with, even with all the conditions that have been outlined."

Opponents contend that berms proposed by the company to block noise also will serve as dikes that prevent flooding on the company's property by raising flood levels on neighboring land. The company has proposed digging a diversion channel to route floodwater back to the Willamette River.

"You can't even keep the river in the river channel," Dwyer said. "How do you keep the river in a man-made channel?"

On the groundwater issue, farmers maintain that the mines will drain away groundwater in the shallow aquifer they use for irrigation. The company intends to pump groundwater that collects in its gravel pits into 30-foot-deep trenches surrounding the mines, contending that the water will flow back into the aquifer.

Eugene Sand's existing pits on North Delta Highway are almost out of gravel, and owners of the century-old business say the jobs of more than 200 employees are at stake in the commissioners' decision.

TODAY

Commissioners resume deliberations at 9 a.m. in the Commissioners' Conference Room in the Public Service Building, 125 E. Eighth Ave., Eugene.