The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a professional services agreement with consultant Stephanie Smith to manage the FAST-41 federal permitting process for the South32 Hermosa Mine Project.
Mr. Smith is a former real estate developer and project manager, and holds a Master of Science in Urban Planning with an Environmental Specialization from the University of Arizona and a Master of Architecture from Harvard University.
She will act as a liaison between the county board of supervisors, County Administrator Jesus Valdez and executives of the South32 mining company.
This position has two primary responsibilities: coordinating the County's involvement in the FAST-41 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process for the Hermosa Project;
Under the federal Section 41 of the American Surface Transportation Improvement Act, known as FAST-41, the designation makes the federal environmental review and permitting process more transparent and predictable.
Santa Cruz County has been designated a “stakeholder community” and is required to comply with the FAST-41 NEPA process as directed by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), although specific details have yet to be determined.
This work will include communicating with Federal agencies, coordinating stakeholder and constituent engagement efforts, and collaborating with technical experts.
Additionally, Smith will be responsible for developing a Good Neighbor Agreement (GNA) designed to put the county’s best interests first, outline expectations and guidelines, and establish standards for transparency and public accountability.
This includes oversight of community capacity assessments, implementation of a mining impact database and impact assessment system, Geographic Information System (GIS) performance, and geospatial data analysis.
Smith will receive an annual salary of $80,000 from the county's general fund. His contract runs through February 2026 unless the work is completed by then.
During the Board of Supervisors meeting, county residents submitted written comments ahead of the vote and requested an extension to further consider the proposed agreement.
Carolyn Schafer of the Patagonia Regional Resources Alliance (PARA) requested a delay in the contract agreement due to ongoing events, specifically emphasizing the need for a meeting between Patagonia County and the town to discuss the NEPA process and a potential protection and benefit agreement.
At Wednesday's advisory committee meeting for the South 32 Hermosa project, Schafer said a group known as the “Agreement Working Group” will recommend to the committee that the agreement be turned over to the signatory candidates, Santa Cruz County and the Town of Patagonia.
Beth Pill of the Calabasas Alliance said a good neighbor agreement is only valid based on the good faith of the signatory parties and the contract between the parties.
Robin Lackey, president of the Calabasas Alliance, said data collection and GIS mapping may not be the best use of county resources at this time, and expressed support for PARA's request to focus on the NEPA process.
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