Proposed asphalt plant at Forestville quarry sparks debate

By Kenny Choi

A battle is brewing in the small town of Forestville in the Russian River Valley over a proposed project that has become a flashpoint.

The owners of a quarry want to build a modern asphalt plant. But plenty of residents are pushing back, saying they’re concerned about potential environmental impacts to the community. 

Mining, crushing, and selling rock has been the Trappe family business for decades.  

“We take the rock and it goes through a processing plant. And we break it out into everything from base, which is being made here, to rock going to other asphalt plants” said Jonathon Trappe of Canyon Rock Inc. 

Trappe now wants to build an asphalt plant on the site of Canyon Rock quarry. With only two asphalt plants currently operating in Sonoma County, it’s good for business.  

“I feel like we can do it better than the next guy because of how we look at things.  We own that responsibility to do it right,” Trappe told CBS News Bay Area. 

But a growing group of residents are banding together to fight the proposed project. 

Darek Trowbridge is a local winemaker, and farmer, whose family has for generations lived off the land. He has become the leading voice for Russian River Community Cares, a dedicated group of more than 700.  

“It’s different if the asphalt plant is somewhere where it’s not right next to a town or it’s not in extreme fire danger. There are plenty of places that are closer to the freeways,” said Trowbridge. 

They’re concerned about potential environmental impacts including contamination of nearby waterways, and more trucks on local roads. 

“We’re going to have bigger tankers coming through town, and we’re going to have much more toxicity,” said Trowbridge. 

Trappe sees it differently, arguing trucks wouldn’t have to make extra trips to other asphalt plants for road projects if a new one is built on site.   

“It would eliminate the traffic associated with moving that rock,” said Trappe. 

Sonoma County officials are already in the process of putting together an environmental impact report (EIR). 

John Mack is the Natural Resources Division Manager for Sonoma County, who points to Canyon Rock’s concrete plant already on site.    

“Ancillary facilities are allowed at quarries.  This facility already has at least one. It’s allowed. Whether it makes sense here, that’s what the environmental review is supposed to get to,” said Mack. 

Mack said the county had to pause the EIR process for months because of a violation at Canyon Rock. 

“There was an enforcement matter at this facility.  They expanded into some areas where they weren’t permitted,” said Mack. 

As both sides dig in, the county says completion of an EIR could take years. 

Trappe lives on the property of the quarry and says health concerns are not an issue. 

“I have an immunocompromised kid. The asphalt plant, we’ll be adjacent to it. I feel comfortable with it,” said Trappe. 

“A large company can have such a big impact on a community. That’s our worry. Will they roll over the community as if it doesn’t exist?  To us, that’s not okay,” said Trowbridge. 

It took years for Trowbridge to grow and preserve various dry goods. Now he’s fighting to preserve a part of his community. 

A representative for the Trappe family and Canyon Rock Company says it has asked but not heard back from the Russian River Community Cares group to meet and hear their concerns. 

After the EIR is completed, the county planning commission will hold a public hearing.

The Board of Supervisors will then make a final decision, but the county said that could be years down the road.