Fallacies of 'True Cost of Annexation' [Opinion, 3/6/08]

Gary Johnson’s (Granite Construction) letter is remarkably deceptive. Visit http://www.libertyquarry.com and http://www.nogravelquarry.com for a realistic education.

Granite does not “own” the 414 acres of the proposed Liberty Quarry site; they have an “option to purchase.”

SDSU’s Ecological Reserve uses sensitive testing equipment. Dust and vibration from dynamiting and soot pollution from diesel trucks (many from Mexico not held accountable to US standards) would most certainly have a disastrous impact.

Johnson fails to note that 40 percent of western headwaters are currently polluted directly from hardrock mining (EPA 2000). Santa Margarita River is Camp Pendleton’s source of drinking water.

Traffic in our area will not be reduced. Granite anticipates an additional 1,600 truck trips per day, six days per week for 75 years.

Taxpayers will pay the $100,000,000 every two years for freeway replacement from these heavy-weighted trucks, and a two-hour commuter delay two months every two years while the right two lanes are closed for repairs.

Air quality remains unchanged? Granite purchases “clean air credits” from factories releasing less than their emission quota. Our pollution substantially increases, regardless of purchased paper credits. Will Granite Construction reimburse our children’s asthma hospital bills or funeral expenses from silicoses? They currently have several pending silicoses lawsuits.

Johnson states we would pay more for materials from the “north” but does not mention their recently approved quarry from the “south” (I-15 and Hwy 76). Their studies don’t include this additional aggregate, eliminating the need for Liberty Quarry.

We should all applaud the City of Temecula for their annexation effort, whatever the intent.

Nita Delnay

Rainbow