CA Coastal Commission reaches proposed settlement with Cemex

The California Coastal Commission said it has reached a proposed settlement with Cemex, calling for an end to the sand mining operation in Marina.

Details of the settlement are still yet to be approved and will be presented during the commission’s meeting in Monterey on July 13.

The proposal calls for the company to phase out its operation over time and to coordinate habitat restoration, among other stipulations. A date on when the sand mining would end has not been revealed yet.

The commission sent Cemex a cease and desist letter in April 2016. But on Monday this statement was issued:

“The proposed settlement will go to the Commission for its consideration and, hopefully, approval. We have long sought a solution here to stop the loss of sand, and to protect the beaches in the Monterey Bay. Sand plays a critical role for both recreation and protection from sea level rise, and as habitat for endangered species such as the snowy plover. But equally exciting is the fact that this agreement provides for a reduced price sale of the whole property in the near future, and for it to be protected in perpetuity. If the settlement is approved, we look forward to working with the community on designing future uses of the property that provide for public access, conservation, habitat protection and public education. This has been a true partnership between the Commission and State Lands Commission, and the City of Marina and the community working to find a solution here,” said Coastal Commission Chief of Enforcement Lisa Haage.

Cemex released the following statement on the settlement:

“The Lapis sand plant has been in operation for more than 110 years, and each day, it adheres to CEMEX’s principles to operate responsibly. We believe the Lapis operation has all entitlements required to operate and no violations have occurred. We also believe analysis to date confirms the causes of erosion along Monterey Bay are numerous and complex. Claims that attribute erosion to the Lapis operation oversimplify the issue.
CEMEX always strives to be a good neighbor and address the concerns of people in the communities in which we live and operate. For the last several years, CEMEX has worked with the California Coastal Commission and more recently, the State Lands Commission and City of Marina, to reach an agreement regarding the Lapis sand plant operation that is mutually acceptable and which respects the interests of our employees, the community and other stakeholders. To that end, CEMEX has agreed to phase out the Lapis sand plant operation over the coming years.”

The commission said more details on the proposal will be made public on Tuesday.