Eagle Scout prepares documentary on quarry project

Instead of opting out for a low-profile community service project, Bobby Shuster’s pursuit of Eagle Scout honors has plunged him into one of the area’s thorniest land use debates.

In order to earn Scouting’s highest ranking, Shuster has created what is believed to be the first documentary on plans to blast and carve a 414-acre mining operation out of the granite-strewn hills south of Temecula.

In doing so, the recent Fallbrook High School graduate takes a fresh and balanced look on a development proposal that for years has galvanized residents of Temecula, Rainbow, Fallbrook and Bonsall.

He has submitted his 15-minute documentary, titled “The Story of Liberty Quarry,” to an Eagle Scout judging panel. He also plans to distribute dozens of copies to local film festivals, high schools, community groups, chambers of commerce, media organizations and activists for and against the mine proposal.

He expects to soon learn whether his documentary has been accepted as an Eagle Scout project and where and when his Court of Honor promotion ceremony might be held. (Interested groups may request a copy of the documentary by telephoning Shuster at (760) 707-6374.)

“I hope it gives people more information so they can make a better decision,” Shuster said in a recent interview.

Granite Construction Co., a Fortune 500 company that operates a mine in Indio and a recently opened mine near the rural community of Pala, wants to excavate more than 270 million tons of sand, gravel and other materials from a 155-acre portion of the Liberty Quarry site over a 75-year period.

The project is planned in an unincorporated segment of Riverside County west of Interstate 15. The site flanks a portion of a sprawling ecological reserve and field station that lines the pristine Santa Margarita River and is operated by San Diego State University.

Mine critics say the project would degrade local air quality, mar the area’s scenery, threaten a crucial wildlife corridor and nature reserve, and increase the number of local trucks that carry gravel, sand and other materials.

Granite officials and project supporters counter that scientific studies have revealed few environmental impacts, the construction materials are badly needed throughout the region and Liberty Quarry’s central location would eliminate the need to import gravel and other aggregate from distant areas.

Authority over the land use proposal has become murky in recent months because Temecula – where some City Council members have spoken out against the quarry – hopes to wrestle decision-making powers away from the county. If successful, the city’s annexation bid could prevent development of the mine for several years.

Given the issue’s growing complexity and the slowly-unfolding development review process, Shuster’s documentary focused on describing mining operations, examining the debate over Liberty Quarry’s potential environmental impacts and probing the site’s development options, its proximity to the river and reserve and how local residents can learn more or become involved in the process.

Shuster said he spent about 80 hours planning the documentary, researching the issues and attending mine-related events and presentations. About 10 friends and fellow scouts volunteered to help out on his project as part of its leadership component. That group spent another 46 hours on preparation work, Shuster said.

After the documentary’s format was set and the interview questions were decided, Shuster and his team spent another 110 hours on filming and editing work and other production-related tasks, he said.

Shuster said he worries that some viewers might assume the documentary has an anti-mine slant because it features more interviews with project foes than supporters. That imbalance was not intentional, he said.

It worked out that way, Shuster said, because several Granite officials all referred him to Gary Johnson, a regional spokesman for the company, for any on-camera interviews. Besides Johnson, Shuster also interviewed mine advocate O.B. Johnson, a local real estate company owner.

Shuster said he was able to borrow cameras and other equipment from the nonprofit Fallbrook Film Factory. His main expense was gasoline, which cost him several hundred dollars that he earned from his part-time jobs.

Shuster’s scoutmaster, Janie Chesney of Fallbrook, said the production of a documentary on such a hot-button local issue is a unique Eagle Scout project. She said Shuster joined Fallbrook’s Troop 700 as a high school freshman, which is years later than most youths typically join the worldwide organization.

Chesney said producing the documentary was a stretch for Shuster, who plans to enter Palomar College in the fall to begin studying for an accounting career. She said she was impressed by the finished documentary and the depth of the research and interviews that went into it.

“I think [the documentary] has enriched his life as well, and it gave him an insight into something he knew nothing about. I’m very impressed with him,” Chesney said.

Shuster said he hopes to build on his Liberty Quarry expertise by tracking the mine proposal through its government hearings and decisions. It’s possible that the documentary could be expanded or freshened with new interviews or perspectives if interest remains high as events unfold, he said.

“It really has caught my attention,” he said. “I think I’ll keep going to meetings to see how it turns out.”

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