The “Indefinite Operation” Threat
If you’ve been following CEMEX's request for an additional 15 years of mining at Dowe Flats, near the Town of Lyons, you’ve probably heard CEMEX’s pitch: ‘Give us 15 years of additional mining, or we will operate the cement plant indefinitely.’ Well that obviously makes 15 years sound pretty great, but that’s also by design from highly skilled senior executives at a Global 2000 multi national corporation.
Will We Run Out Of Cement?
CEMEX has submitted an application for an additional 15 years of mining at their Dowe Flats Mine near the Town of Lyons. By shutting down the mine, there are clear and direct implications to the CEMEX cement plant on the south side of Highway 66 that would begin the process of shutting down operations, demolishing the plant, and reclaiming that land. There has been a narrative floating around that we need the plant, and there would be a shortage of cement on the Front Range without it. That simply isn’t true.
Is 15 More Years The Best Deal?
CEMEX, Boulder County’s #1 polluter, has applied to extend their Dowe Flats mining permit for an additional 15 years. Boulder County Parks and Open Space co-signed the application with CEMEX and stands to receive roughly $15 million in gifts from the deal. BCPOS already owns or has purchase options on 100% of the ~1600 acres at Dowe Flats near the Town of Lyons, but has their eyes set on gaining purchase options for ~860 acres around the CEMEX cement plant, south of Highway 66
No Environmental Studies Have Been Done at CEMEX Lyons
During the Boulder County Planning Commission hearings last month, Planning Staff was asked by Commissioner Fitch to provide more information about the cumulative impact to public health with 15 more years of mining at Dowe Flats. After a two week break to gather more information, Planning Staff failed to provide anything meaningful on this point, and only included a half hearted attempt at a desktop review of macro level impact to address the concerns raised by Commissioner Fitch.