County supervisor to focus on smart planning in 2012

MAJOR PLAYER: The TXI cement plant in Oro Grande is seen Thursday night. San Bernardino County 1st District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt plans to push to ease burdens imposed by the California Air Resources Board as air quality regulations could pose a serious threat to the local cement industry. He also wants the county to become a 'major player' in crafting smart planning guidelines for renewable energy.

With government coffers still dwindling, San Bernardino County Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt said he sees 2012 as a year for smart planning and addressing cumbersome regulations to prepare the High Desert for future recovery.

The 1st District supervisor said he wants to continue efforts to drive down the cost of doing business in the region in hopes of drawing more major companies like United Furniture Industries, which is expected to create more than 400 jobs within the next few years at its new 505,192-square-foot industrial facility at Southern California Logistics Centre in Victorville.

“We can try to not be part of the problem and try not to deter businesses away from our region,” Mitzelfelt said. “In the High Desert we are uniquely positioned among Southern California communities in being able to provide some of the assets that industries and employers are looking for when they go to other states.”

Stringent air quality regulations could pose a serious threat to the local cement industry, Mitzelfelt said, and renewable energy projects should be carefully reviewed so too much desert land isn’t siphoned off for solar plants.

He plans to push to ease burdens imposed on cement factories by the California Air Resources Board, and to help the county become a “major player” in crafting planning guidelines for desert renewable energy projects. He wants to suggest alternate ways to address environmental mitigation efforts. A common requirement for large-scale developers is to buy up a large amount of private land so it can be converted into federal conservation area.

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County supervisor to focus on smart planning in 2012

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