Mayor, Councilwoman ask for community's help to support legislation.

To Our Amazing Santa Clarita Valley Community:

Earlier this year, Congressman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon proposed H.R. 5887, a federal bill that will bring final resolutionto our long-standing issue with mining in Soledad Canyon.  We are writing you today to update you on the excitingprogress we have made in the past months and to let you know how you can help get H.R. 5887 passed as we preparefor the bill to take an important step in the legislative process: committee hearings.

As you are likely aware, the Soledad Canyon Mine Act will provide the Secretary of the Interior with a mechanism tocancel mining contracts in Soledad Canyon that are currently held by CEMEX USA.  The bill will additionally eliminate thechance for future mining at the site by removing the Soledad Canyon mining sites from the federal mineral entry. It willfairly compensate CEMEX for the company’s investment in pursuing the development of the contracts by granting CEMEXdesignated federal lands near Victorville, CA. H.R. 5887 will not trade one mine for another- CEMEX has no plans to minethe property near Victorville, but has a separate agreement with the City of Victorville to sell these lands in accordancewith local land use and economic development goals.

H.R. 5887 is a winning solution for all involved and we need your help to get it passed through Congress and signed intolaw.

KEY ELECTED LEADERS AND ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORT THE SOLEDAD CANYON MINE ACT

Thanks to a tremendous response to our previous request, our list of groups and individuals that have declared theirsupport for H.R. 5887 has grown to nearly 1,100 individuals and organizations.  So far, elected leaders from both partiesand on the federal, state and local levels have lent their support to make the Soledad Canyon mine act a bi-partisan bill. Legislators and local governments that have declared support for the bill include:

·         U.S. Congressman Brad Sherman (D- Sherman Oaks)

·         California State Senator George Runner (R-17)

·         California Assemblymember Audra Strickland (R-37)

·         California Assemblymember Cameron Smyth (R-38)

·         Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors

·         Santa Clarita City Council

·         Victorville City Council

·         Glendale City Council

H.R. 5887 has received equally impressive support from the air quality and environmental community.  Prominent additionsto the environmental/air quality section of our supporter list include organizations such as:

·         The Sierra Club (with analysis of the bill by the Sierra Club’s Santa Clarita Valley and Mojave Groups aswell as the Angeles Chapter)

·         Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy

·         Coalition for Clean Air

You can view a complete H.R. 5887 Supporters List athttp://www.santa-clarita.com/news/HR5887/Supporter_List2008.pdf.

HOW YOU CAN HELP- SPEAK UP BEFORE THE FIRST COMMITTEE HEARINGS TENTATIVELY SET FOR THIS FALL

Once Congress returns to session in September, the House Natural Resources Committee and the Subcommittee onEnergy and Mineral Resources will likely schedule H.R. 5887 for a committee hearing, an important step in the legislativeprocess.

As the bill approaches its committee hearings, it is important that individuals and organizations declare their support forthe bill.  If you haven’t done so already, fill out an Individual or Organizational supporter form and send it in to join thecoalition in support of the Soledad Canyon Mine Act.  

You can also help us spread the word about these exciting recent developments by forwarding this message to friends,colleagues or members of your organization.  By spreading the word about H.R. 5887, we can continue to grow ourcoalition of support and let Congress know that H.R. 5887 deserves their attention and expedited approval!

Thank you very much for your time and efforts.  We will continue to update you as we receive news about the progressof the bill.

Sincerely,