Yolo supervisors approve CEMEX permit amendment with county option to convert Phase 3 to riparian habitat after CCAP review

The Yolo County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 9 approved an amendment to CEMEX's existing mining permit that extends the operator's term, adjusts phasing and tonnage limits, and reconfigures elements of the reclamation plan.

The permit amendment keeps approved depths and the existing mining footprint but would lengthen the time allowed to extract the remaining resource and changes the layout of reclaimed lakes, habitat and agricultural acreage on the CEMEX property northeast of Madison. After several hours of public comment—38 people registered to speak—the board adopted staffrecommended approvals and added a negotiated condition that gives the county an option, during the next scheduled CCAP (Cache Creek Area Plan) interim review, to convert up to 100 acres in Phase 3 from agricultural reclamation to riparian habitat. That change would require a minor permit modification and the usual environmental review.

Yasha Sabre, CEMEX project manager, told the board the company sought time to finish mining resources that were not exhausted during earlier operations. "At its core this project is really about a time extension that was always contemplated," he said, describing changes in operation since the 1990s and the firm's move to electric dredge technology that the company said reduces fuel use and greenhouse-gas emissions.

Staff and the applicant emphasized the permit is not an expansion of the site's authorized aerial extent. Heidi Chudin, the county planner who led the staff briefing, summarized the program context: the CCAP governs 4.5 miles of Lower Cache Creek and balances mining, flood protection, habitat and agriculture through site-specific reclamation rules. She told supervisors the CCAP mechanism anticipates periodic reviews and that the board could pursue program changes as part of that process.

Opponents at the hearing urged delay or denial, citing long-term concerns about methylmercury production in deep pit lakes and risks to groundwater, fish and downstream ecosystems. Several speakers recommended prioritizing wetlands and riparian restoration rather than creating or reconfiguring permanent deep lakes. "Water is life," said David Abramson, one of the public commenters, summarizing ecological concerns raised repeatedly in testimony.

Supporters argued a regulated local aggregate source is essential for regional infrastructure and public works and pointed to reclaimed agricultural parcels where former mine fields produced marketable crops after reclamation. The Cache Creek Conservancy and some farming interests defended the CCAP's mixed reclamation approach and the program's history of public-benefit dedications, including parkway and trail easements.

County staff advised the board the proposed county option would allow a change in the Phase 3 end use only after the CCAP review process and accompanying environmental analysis. The boardapproved the amendment and the new condition by voice vote; the final amended development agreement specifies the county's option and the process for any change in end use.

Next steps: staff will prepare the final amendment documents and minor permit modifications required by the boardaction, and the county will incorporate the new option language into the development agreement. The CCAP interim review is scheduled to next occur as a county programmatic review; if the board elects to exercise the option at that time, staff said the applicant will be required to update the reclamation plan and proceed through the appropriate environmental review and permitting steps.

Provenance: The county staff overview and project description are drawn from the staff presentation and EIR materials presented (topic intro SEG 2370; topic finish SEG 3015). Public testimony and the board's final deliberation and motion are recorded in the public hearing transcript (public comment block SEG 4220 to SEG 5704; deliberations and motion SEG 6999 to SEG 7350).