Pueblo citizens are facing a battle. Its a battle between common citizens and those who are in favor of economic development to decide on whether a cement plant will call Pueblo its new home. Its a battle to join together in order to educate those individuals in charge about how building a cement plant would cause more harm than create jobs. Its a battle between the average citizen, concerned about their health and the environment, and the elected official, confident that their influence will bring in a new business for the better of the community. Rio Grande Portland Cement Corp. is planning to build a $160 million, highly automated cement plant 8 miles south of town. In September of 1999, the Pueblo County Planning Commission approved a special-use permit allowing the company to build its mining and manufacturing plant on 6,000 acres southeast of Pueblo. Thereafter, if all the necessary permits are acquired, Rio Grande would be expected to build a cement plant off Lime Road, east of the Stem Beach exit on Interstate 25. (citation here)The special-use permit, however, carried 21 restrictions. Some restrictions include:h copies of all license applications and regulatory reports are to be given to the county; h no blasting in the limestone quarry would be permitted between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. and none on Sundays; h no retail sales are permitted without an amendment to the use permit; h violation of any permit can cause the county to consider revoking the special-use permit; h Rio Grande could not use more than 70 acres of land at a given time; h Rio Grande could not burn tires or any hazardous material in its kiln without amending the permit, which would require a new application and public hearing. (citation here) This permit, however, was only the beginning of the battle that caused citizens to voice their concerns about Pueblos air quality as well as their own health risks.Resident, Cecil Ross, who owns about 200 acres appro...
