Commissioners approve Red Creek Quarry conditional use permit for AmRise (formerly Holcim/Wholesome)

CANYON CITY, Colo. — The Fremont County Board of County Commissioners on June 24 approved CUP 24-001, allowing the Red Creek Quarry and a 6.3-mile enclosed material transport and access corridor (MTAC) to provide limestone and sandstone to the Portland cement plant. The applicant is identified in county filings as AmRise Cement Inc. (recently rebranded; previously referenced in application materials as Wholesome/Wholesome US).

The conditional use permit covers 1,492 acres — including a 219.72-acre MTAC corridor — and authorizes quarry operations for the life of the mine, which the company estimates at roughly 100 years. Company representatives said the quarry will support the plant’s long-term production needs: the plant currently produces about 1.2 million tons of cement per year and has capacity up to 1.8 million tons. Company presenters described a multiyear permitting and construction plan and said they expect to begin quarry construction in 2026 with initial production targeted for late 2027 or early 2028.

Hamza Mafi, plant manager at the Portland cement plant, told the commission the corporate rebranding to AmRise was effective June 23 and described the Red Creek project as critical to maintaining the plant’s operations. He said the plant employs roughly 200 people, about 75% of whom are Fremont County residents. Company presenters described a 6.3-mile enclosed conveyor (a trough-style 42-inch belt) to move material from the quarry to the plant, multiple wildlife and drainage crossings, a 40-foot maintenance/road corridor adjacent to the conveyor and a plan for concurrent reclamation staged over the life of the mine.

Company officials said they have worked through multiple state and federal permitting processes since 2019. They reported that Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (DRMS) approved the mine permit amendment in 2024; an air-quality Title V application is under state review and water-discharge and Division of Water Resources modifications are in progress. The team said they will submit a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit for drainage crossings and continue coordination with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Black Hills Energy and San Isabel Electric Association for utilities.

County planning staff recommended approval and noted the application included a noxious-weed control plan, an approved reclamation plan for returning mined land to agricultural pasture use, and draft designs for the MTAC; staff said CDOT indicated no immediate access-permit requirements unless traffic increases beyond the projected level. Planning Commission had recommended approval. County staff reported receipt of numerous letters of support and no unresolved objections in the record; one neighbor submitted noise concerns and asked about fireworks and end times for events (a separate, unrelated venue item).

Commissioner McFaul moved to approve CUP 24-001 for AmRise/Wholesome Red Creek Quarry for the life of the mine with a landscaping waiver and encouragement to maintain wildlife crossings; Commissioner Grantham seconded. Commissioner Bell recused himself because of a stated relationship with an organization connected to the applicant. The roll call recorded Commissioners McFaul and Grantham voting "aye"; Commissioner Bell was recused. The motion carried.

Ending — County approval allows the project to proceed through remaining state and federal permitting steps; company officials said construction is planned to begin in 2026 pending final permits and that quarry production would support the Portland plant for decades.