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April  24, 2024 SAHUARITA SPECIAL TOWN COUNCIL MEETING MEDIA COVERAGE

April 24, 2024 Green Valley News

The crowd gives a standing ovation at Wednesday's Sahuarita Town Council meeting after a vote that ends the possibility of an asphalt plant near Quail Creek. The photo was taken by Council Member Steve Gillespie.

It's official: Vulcan won't pursue asphalt plant near Quail Creek

By Dan Shearer dshearer@gvnews.com

It was standing room only at Wednesday night’s Sahuarita Town Council meeting as opponents of a proposed hot-mix asphalt plant got the news they’ve been waiting 15 months to hear: Vulcan Materials has dropped its bid for the plant a half-mile north of Quail Creek.

The council made it official in a unanimous vote on a resolution that allows Vulcan to continue its mining operation while agreeing it will not now or in the future seek to put any type of asphalt plant on the site.

The agreement, which takes effect in 30 days, stays with the land, meaning if Vulcan sells the property the new owner would also not be allowed to operate an asphalt plant.   Read More 

Sahuarita residents won a battle over an asphalt plant when the Vulcan Materials Company decided not to build in the town. 

The battle over an asphalt plant in Sahuarita comes to an end  

By Alex Valdez

Published: Apr. 25, 2024 at 7:41 AM MST


READ ARTICLE and VIEW KOLD 13 COVERAGE at the Meeting 

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View 13 NEWS Nightly broadcast coverage from April 24,2024 KOLD 13

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KGUN 9  Nightly News Broadcast 04-24-2024 by Mikenzie Hammel and article.

February Green Valley News 

February 15, 2024

Counter Point - Opinion Articles: 

Vulcan Strikes Out (February 15, 2024)

"There is very little rationality in the author's letter to the editor ("Vulcan's value," Feb. 14). He

chooses to ignore facts and instead relies on accusations of NIMBY.  Read More.   

Source: Green Valley News https://www.gvnews.com/opinion/

Point - Opinion Articles:  

Vulcan's Value (February 14, 2024)

 "In my opinion, there are a lot of reasons the Vulcan Materials Company hot mix asphalt plant project should be OK’d."

Read More

Source: Green Valley News https://www.gvnews.com/opinion/

February 12, 2024 

Town Council Study Session on Air Study provided by Vulcan Materials.

More questions than answers on Vulcan

By Dan Shearer dshearer@gvnews.com     Feb 13, 2024 Updated Feb 13, 2024

"It was supposed to be a last-minute check-in before the Town of Sahuarita received a final review from consultants on an air quality study for a proposed hot-mix asphalt plant.

But the only sure thing to come out of Monday’s 90-minute study session is that the road to a final vote on the controversial Vulcan plant likely just got longer."   Read More


Source: Green Valley News,  https://www.gvnews.com/news/local/more-questions-than-answers-on-vulcan/article_c382dc20-ca34-11ee-8808-e79b59fa05a1.html,  Town of Sahuarita youtube video.

February 02, 2024

Opinion Article:  In My View: No reason Vulcan project should be approved. 

"In my reading of the Southwest Appraisal report, I could not help but be concerned about the accuracy of their conclusion:"  Read More

Source: Green Valley News https://www.gvnews.com/opinion/

January 22, 2024  SAHUARITA TOWN COUNCIL MEETING MEDIA COVERAGE

NEW: KGUN 9 reporter Mikenzie Hammel Interviewed the Mayor and reported on the Sahuarita Town Council Meeting, focusing on the call to the public agenda item, where residents made their voices heard on January 22, 2024.

To view the article and KGUN 9 Video: "Making voices heard: Sahuarita residents continue fight against proposed asphalt plant near community by Mikenzie Hammel", click on the photos or HERE.   

Link to Entire Green Valley News Article:  HERE.

Vulcan opponents once again fill council chambers

By Kim Smith ksmith@gvnews.com 

Photos courtesy of Green Valley News

 Jan 23, 2024 Updated 13 hrs ago

A dozen people stood before the Sahuarita Town Council Monday night to again express their vehement opposition to a hot-mix asphalt plant Vulcan Materials Company hopes to build north of Quail Creek.


A few told the council they think Town Attorney Jon Paladini has provided the council with bad information. Several accused the council of ignoring their wishes and making up their minds in favor of Vulcan. ... Read More


     January 22, 2024 Green Valley News Newsletter Article    



NEW: NO TO VULCAN: Big turnout at this evening's Sahuarita Town Council meeting. Residents wearing red told the council (again) that they don't want the Vulcan hot-mix asphalt plant planned for the edge of Quail Creek. The speakers are at the beginning of the meeting; you can listen here.


Read letter to Editor about this article:  HERE

NEW: View the Town Council Meeting full recording (PRESS THE RED ARROW) Call to Public starts at minute 2:51. 

Call to the Public speakers addressed concerns about group think, Vulcan's Air Modeling Study omitting odors and volatile organic compounds (VOC's), Mayor comments on KGVY broadcast, water, air, health, safety, cancer, and environmental impacts assessment request... 

Recent Media Coverage on Vulcan Materials Conditional Use Permit

VULCAN STUDY SEES NO POLLUTANT ISSUE

By Dan Shearer (dshearer@gvnews.com)

January 16, 2024 Updated Jan 16, 2024

Read Full Article

A study of possible impacts to air quality from a proposed hot-mix asphalt plant in Sahuarita determined the site would not produce emissions that violate federal standards. 

“The modeled impacts from all modeled criteria pollutants for each scenario do not exceed and are well below the current NAAQS,” it reads.  ,,,

“As such, locating any of the facilities in this study at the existing sand and gravel site is NOT expected to have concentrations of emissions that exceed the NAAQS which EPA deems as levels harmful to the public, including at-risk populations.” ,,,

Read more

GREEN VALLEY NEWS 

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR REGARDING THE VULCAN AIR MODELING STUDY

Laura Sbarra, M.D. provides clarifications regarding the article in the January 17, 2024, edition of the Green Valley News, “Vulcan Study Finds No Issue with Pollutants”.

"Vulcan's Air Modeling Study, "Air Dispersion Modeling Report", prepared by Trinity Consultants and released on January 9, 2024, was confined to an analysis of Criteria Pollutants, although there are many other pollutants that are released by Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) plants. "  

"Although not designated a "major source of pollution" by the EPA, HMA plants still emit significant amounts of pollutants into the atmosphere..."

 

"Furthermore, the standards set by the EPA do not consider HMA plants to be major sources of pollutants despite the fact that they emit Hazardous Airborne Pollutants (HAPs)HAPs have no safe exposure levels. See this link about HAPs: https://www.epa.gov/haps/about-hazardous-air-pollutants"

Full list of pollutants from Hot Mix Asphalt plants can be found HERE

Read entire letter to the editor: HERE

GV NEWS January 17, 2024 Letter to the Editor 

Where is everyone?  by Carole Washburn 

"As a former public health official, the effects of particle pollution from a smelly hot-mix asphalt plant is a big deal and are not successfully mitigated by companies that operate them."  Read Entire Letter from Carole Washburn HERE.

LETTER TO TOWN OF SAHUARITA ON VULCAN AIR MODELING STUDY

READ: January 17, 2023 Letter on the Vulcan Air Modeling Study to the Town of Sahuarita: HERE.

Sahuarita residents fighting potential asphalt plant less than a mile from developing neighborhoods. 

Article By: Mikenzie Hammel

Read Full Article by By: Mikenzie Hammel KGUN|9 News: HERE. 

Listen to KGUN|9 News coverage: 

click on Video below.

LISTEN to Mayor Murphy's 2023 Look Back Radio Interview with KGVY

He discusses with KGVY Radio Personality key accomplishments in 2023 and expresses his opinion on the Vulcan Asphalt plant and the communities engagement in this process. 

Asphalt Plant discussion at minute 1:48.


This Interview was originally posted on the Town Government of Sahuarita facebook page on January 8, 2024.

NEW: Read letter of concern from Mark Cochran to Mayor regarding interview comments: HERE.



Citizens Raise Additional Concerns and Questions regarding Vulcan Asphalt Plant project at Town Council Meeting.

  September 25, 2023

 To view Citizens' open questions presented to the Town Council on Sep 25. click/tap:

Questions from Duane Elser 

Questions from Concerned Citizens of Sahuarita


To view September 25th Town Council Meeting Recording: click/tap HERE


GV News Letter to the Editor by Rick Curotto

'Sahuarita's General Plan and Vulcan: 

Who's in Charge?'

September 24, 2023

  To view the entire article: click/tap HERE.



GV News Article by the Editor

'Sahuarita pushes Vulcan plant hearing to 2024'.

  September 19, 2023

To view the entire article: click/tap HERE.

Lisa Larkin speaks at Town Council Meeting Photo Green Valley News August 29, 2023



GV News Article by Dan Shearer

'Opponents again blast Vulcan project at council meeting'.

  August 29, 2023

To view the entire article: click/tap HERE.

To view  August 28, 2023 Town Council Meeting Recordings: click/tap HERE

To view the Sandez Letter: click/tap HERE

To view the Resident's Key Questions: click/tap HERE

GV News Article by Dan Shearer

'Crowd Lets Council Know They Don’t Want Asphalt Plant'.

June 27, 2023

To view the entire article click/tap HERE.

To view  June 26, 2023 Town Council Meeting 

Article by Lisa Larkin

'Proposed Asphalt Plant Brings Emotional Distress'. 

June 27, 2023

To view the entire article click/tap HERE 

GV News Article by the Editor  

'Grassroots group takes on asphalt plant'.

June 24, 2023

To view the entire article click/tap HERE.

GV News Article by LaDonna Zimmerman 

'Asphalt Plans Should Concern all of Us' 

June 16, 2023

To view the article click/tap HERE.



GV News Article by Bette Immel’s on Vulcan on page A7 

June 14, 2023

To view the article click/tap HERE


N4T Investigators: Sahuarita Residents worried over planned asphalt plant

March 23, 2023

News 4 Tucson KVOA-TV

35.4K subscribers

JOPPA       JUNE 2, 2023 6:17 PM

Asphalt Plant in Dallas Community to Shut Down


An asphalt plant that has plagued a south Dallas community has decided to shut its doors after reaching a deal with city officials. Joppa is located just 6 miles southeast of downtown Dallas. NBC 5’s Alanna Quillen reports.  Link to Video


A Consolidated List of  Past Green Valley News Articles can be found HERE.


Sahuarita Town Council Meetings : YouTube Live Stream view them HERE.