Myth vs. Fact

Myth Buster #1
The project will NOT have a significant impact on residents in Temecula. The Riverside County Draft EIR summarizes the detailed analysis concerning impacts to residents in Temecula on Pages 4-16 thru 4-21. This section shows that all potential impacts can be mitigated to below a level of significance. Again this project will NOT have a significant impact on residents in Temecula.

Myth Buster #2
According to the County DEIR (Section 3.9) the target market area for Liberty Quarry will have an 8 to 13 million ton per year demand by 2030. The permitted aggregate production in this market in 2009 is less than 2 million tons per year. If Liberty Quarry is not permitted then we will need to continue to impart aggregate at a large cost – both financially and environmentally.

Myth Buster #3
After 75 years of operations, Granite will dismantle all of the mining and processing equipment on site. The site, which will be vegetated over the 75 year life, will be made permanent open space.

Myth Buster #4
The project operations and mining will be hidden from view from citizens in Temecula and Fallbrook and people driving on I-15.

Myth Buster #5
The County DEIR concluded based on expert studies that there is no health risk to employees or nearby residents from Liberty Quarry operations. In fact, the crystalline silica levels at the site boundary are 200 times LOWER than levels considered to be safe by the state of California.

Myth Buster #6
Granite will upgrade the Rainbow and I-15 interchange so residents of Rainbow and motorists traveling on I-15 will not see any delays. Prior to operation an additional lane will be added to the southbound off-ramp; 3 traffic signals will be added - one to each side of the freeway; and one at Old US 395; and a new lane and scale will be added to the southbound weigh station.

Myth Buster #7
To protect the habitat linkage from further impact, Riverside County has recommended that Granite employ a number of mitigation measures including: a reduction in the night time mining hours; a reduction in the size of the quarry; permanent conservation of 250 acres of land around the quarry; and payment of over $1 million to protect and conserve habitat in Western Riverside County.

Myth Buster #8
Myth: Mining at Liberty Quarry will cause an earthquake.
Fact: Riverside County studied this issue and found that this would not occur. This conclusion is based on work by Professor Thomas Rockwell, Ph.D. from San Diego State University. His technical report can be found in Appendix D of the Liberty Quarry Draft EIR. In his conclusions he noted, “removal of rock at Liberty Quarry will have no effect on the shear stress on the Elsinore fault, which is the primary force driving motion and cause of earthquakes.”