Reclamation Process FAQs

• What is the Permanente Quarry?

  Permanente Quarry, which has operated in the hills of Santa Clara County for most of the last century, has served as a cement production and aggregate production site vital in the building of the Bay Area. The site and surrounding property covers 3,510 acres, which includes property in Palo Alto, Cupertino and unincorporated Santa Clara County.

• What’s currently happening at the Permanente Quarry Site?

  In November 2022, the permanent shutdown of cement kiln operations at the Permanente facility was announced. That means there will be no clinker production from the kiln. 

  Aggregate and distribution operations continue at the site. There will be no use of the kiln, and associated infrastructure needed for cement production and distribution has been permanently discontinued and will ultimately be demolished.

• Who owns the site?

  The site’s current owner is Hanson Permanente Cement Inc., a subsidiary of Heidelberg Materials North America.

• What is the Reclamation Plan?

  The Reclamation Plan is required by state law and was developed to accommodate the long-term use of the area, working to restore parts of the site to a condition suitable for subsequent uses under applicable land use laws.

• What is the Reclamation Plan Amendment (RPA)?

  With the discontinuation of the cement kiln operations, an updated Reclamation Plan was developed to accommodate the restoration of the area and submitted to the County in June 2023. The Reclamation Plan Amendment (RPA) is the plan to close and restore the portion of the site within the Reclamation Plan Boundary, which includes the quarry pit.

  The RPA area covers 921 acres of the 3,510 acre site in unincorporated Santa Clara County, and includes the quarry pit, the existing shop and office, the East and West Materials storage areas, and the Permanente Creek Restoration Area.

  The RPA works to restore these areas for potential future use to a condition where mine slopes are stable and safe, surfaces are properly graded to prevent erosion, and a vegetation cover is established that will be effective in controlling wind and water erosion.

  Once the site is reclaimed, it will be subject to the same land use processes as any other private land.

• How long will the RPA take?

  The full process to restore the site is estimated to be completed by December 31, 2065. However, once the county approves, the RPA initial phases will be completed in five years.

Community

• What is Heidelberg Materials’ plan for the site?

  Heidelberg Materials is working with state and local agencies to restore the site through the reclamation process.

  The company will work with neighbors and stakeholders in the area regarding any future use of the site post-reclamation.

  The full process to restore the site isn’t expected to be completed until 2065.

• What are the current, ongoing permitting processes at the site?

  2023 Reclamation Plan Amendment

  • The 2023 RPA Application was submitted to the County in June 2023.
  • Heidelberg Materials is currently working on obtaining the necessary approvals and permits from the County and other relevant state and federal agencies to complete the project.
  • Heidelberg Materials submitted responses to the NOI comments from the County of Santa Clara in May 2024.
  • Community outreach meetings will occur on June 20 and 22, 2024.
  • The RPA reduces the Reclamation Plan boundary by 30 percent, from 1,274 acres to 921 acres.
  • The approval process will likely take several years given the need to comply with CEQA requirements.

  Permitting for Permanente Creek Restoration Project

  • The County of Santa Clara certified the Supplemental Environmental Impact Report for the Permanente Creek Restoration Project in May 2024.
  • Heidelberg Materials is working on gaining the necessary approvals and permits from the County in May 2024 and other relevant state and federal agencies.
  • The Project will commence upon full permit issuance.
• How will the current and future processes at the site affect the surrounding neighborhoods?

  During the reclamation process, neighbors should experience little to no disruption from work going on at the site. There will be contact information for neighbors to ask questions or express concerns. There will be some truck traffic associated with the reclamation activities.

• How much pollution will the RPA generate for the community?

  The purpose of the reclamation process is to restore the site while also addressing potential environmental impacts to the area.

  Best management practices are being implemented at the site until vegetation is established that meets erosion control standards. Upon completion of the reclamation, most surface runoff from the site will return to Permanente Creek. The RPA will ultimately reduce any potential for pollution.

• Will there be housing or other development going on at the site during the RPA process?

  The RPA process itself is entirely focused on the reclamation of the site. Any future post-reclamation uses would be subjected to separate planning and permitting processes with Santa Clara County and/or the City of Cupertino.

• Does the city or the county collect fees for the impacts of the RPA?

  There will be application fees, permitting costs and other statutorily-required fees which will be assessed as the process moves forward.  

• What are the potential traffic impacts of the RPA process?

  The traffic impact of the RPA process, at maximum activity, will still be less on average than historical levels for the property, dating to the site’s prior use as both an operational mine and cement plant.

• Does the RPA make any plans for preserving some of the historical aspects of the site?
  

  Yes. Heidelberg Materials is working with the appropriate local agencies to determine what aspects of the site’s history will be physically preserved, and how the quarry and cement plant’s regional significance will be best preserved in the historical record.