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Allen Matkins Leek Gamble Mallory&Natsis LLP Attorneys at Law East Pleasanton Specific Plan Task Force Pleasanton City Council June 17,2013 Page 2 The California Division of Mines and Geology has for many years designated the Quarry Lands as an"Aggregate Resource Area of Regional Significance." A primary affect of this designation is that it requires both Alameda County and the City of Pleasanton to identify and promote the conservation and development of this construction grade aggregate in their general plans. Most of the Quarry Lands have either been or are in the process of being mined, and mining operations are expected to continue through approximately the years 2030 to 2040. Because of the importance of this resource, Rhodes&Jamieson's land has been mined and permitted for mining for decades, and began long before most housing, commercial activity and industry made its way into the region. We also note that mining operations in the area may well continue beyond 2040. Having decades of experience in mining the quarry areas, Rhodes& Jamieson is well aware that certain land uses make particularly poor neighbors for mining operations. As Rhodes& Jamieson's Don Kahler articulated at the most recent Task Force meeting,in the case of the EPSP area, Rhodes&Jamieson is particularly concerned that each of the alternatives presently contemplates a "Potential Public School Site." For multiple reasons, schools should not be located near a mining operation. First,mining necessitates a high volume of haul trucks consistently traveling to and from the plant, usually bearing heavy loads. Trucks laden with aggregate carry a great deal of momentum, and cannot swiftly stop or maneuver. Schools, of course,mean lots of children,who sometimes exercise poor judgment using and crossing roads. A school in the EPSP area would bring a large volume of children in proximity to the segment of El Charro Road actively used by Vulcan Materials'haul trucks. The potential locations indicated on the EPSP alternatives are particularly problematic because one must cross the Vulcan haul road to reach the Paragon Outlet Mall,which would be an obvious after-school destination for students. The risks would be great both for pedestrians and for passengers in autos—as well as the truck drivers. In short, a school in the EPSP area would greatly increase the likelihood of tragic accidents involving youth attending the school and their families. Second, a mining operation involves a lot of water. Water bodies and water courses attract children,and present risks of drowning and other accidents. Rhodes&Jamieson and Vulcan Materials already have an issue with youth trespassing into the Arroyo Mocho and mining lakes; repairing man-made holes in fences is a constant issue. Those issues would increase exponentially were a school to be located nearby. The EPSP study area involves three large lakes,each of which has relatively steep slopes due to past mining. These lakes would be right up the road from the