Groups protest Cemex sand mining in Marina
Ten months after the California Coastal Commission ruled that sand mining operations in Marina violated state regulations, the Cemex plant is still in business. With that in mind, environmentalists, scientists and activists all came together Monday morning to protest the controversial plant.
The protest comes after months of delayed deadlines and now protesters say they’ve had enough.
“It really is a David and Goliath story,” said Monterey resident Francie Mitchell. “It’s local people trying to make a difference going against Cemex.”
The fight started to take shape after the California Coastal Commission said Cemex, which is operated by a company based in Mexico, violated the law by mining sand from the Monterey Bay. That’s a big problem for the beach and tourism, according to oceanography professor Edward Thornton.
“Because of the sand mine, Southern Monterey Bay has the highest erosion rate on average in all of California,” said Thornton.
In a recent study, Thornton concluded that Cemex has doubled, if not tripled, their mining yield without notifying the Coastal Commission. That is not good for the local ecosystem, according to Vicki Pearse, a marine biologist and secretary with a central coast environmental group called Save Our Shores.
“Sand has natural patterns and it moves north and south and if you keep removing it, (it becomes) a depleted resource,” said Pearse.
The company disagrees. They said in a statement released late Monday, “Cemex is committed to operating in a sustainable and conscientious way.”
The fight to end sand mining in Marina has received support from two environmental groups, including Save Our Shores.
“We are ‘Save Our Shores.’ What could be more important than saving the sand on it,” said Katherine O’Dea, executive director of Save Our Shores.
The Surfrider Foundation also paints a grim picture of what could happen to the beach if sand mining isn’t stopped. They say that coastal erosion could one day even affect Highway 1.
“In addition to the impact on animals, there is the impact on government infrastructure,” said Antony Tersol, with the Surfrider Foundation.
Cemex said they hear Surfrider’s concerns but they disagree. In the same statement, they said, “Surfrider’s points are based on, what we believe, to be erroneous and speculative data and unsound theory.”
Regardless though, protesters say they won’t give up.
“No, we are not. No, we are not,” said Mitchell. “That’s the message: No, we are not.” The Cemex plant has supporters on the Central Coast.
Many say the company provides jobs and stimulates the local economy. The future of the plant is still uncertain, but the California Coastal Commission is working with Cemex to negotiate a settlement.
NOTE: Additional footage provided by Lilianne De La Espriella.
