Editor's note: Public testimony began at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, during which Dave Cortese, president of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, announced that speaker cards—of which 119 were turned in—would be drawn on a random basis. Before the meeting began, officials thought speaker cards would be divided between those for and against the matter. Read more about the hearing here.

Chants of “No Mercury,” stung the air during a demonstration Tuesday in front of the Santa Clara County Administration Building as dozens of demonstrators carrying signs circled the sidewalk to protest a proposed 200-acre mine pit by the Lehigh Cement Plant.

The Santa Clara Board of Supervisors is holding an evidentiary hearing on the use of land at the Lehigh Cement Plant, which is in unincorporated Santa Clara County, nestled between both Cupertino and Los Altos, where Lehigh wants to dig a new mine.

The plant uses a Cupertino address.

Demonstrators argue that mercury and other pollutants already spread in the air and waterways because of the existing mines and object to a new pit being dug.

“We’ve been trying to get pollution reduced (in the area) since 1996,” said JoyceM Eden, a Cupertino resident who is a member of West Valley Citizens Air Watch.

“They’ve run out of lime in the quarry and want to blast a new 200-acre open pit in the oak woodland," she said. "They’ll create a dead zone. When they’re done, there’s nothing.” 

The argument of pollution and health concerns is lost on some. Cupertino resident Mike McNutt said he worked at the plant for 16 years when it was operated by Kaiser.

"I'm 74, and there's nothing wrong with me," he said.

Eden was joined by dozens of demonstrators led by Cupertino Councilman Barry Chang, who said he was losing his voice leading the chants. He said the chamber seats were already filled long before the meeting was scheduled to begin.

“They must have all the workers in there," Chang said. "They must have shut down for the day.” 

The chamber seats began filling with Lehigh executives, employees, former employees and other supporters at around noon for the 1:30 p.m. meeting, according to Melissa Miller, deputy clerk of the board.

As anti-mine demonstrators poured in and there were no open seats, they were left to stand in the back of the room.

When the room filled to beyond capacity, the walkways choked, prompting safety officials to instruct those in the path to leave the room. An ancillary room with a live feed of the hearing was opened down the hall from the chambers.

Ten minutes before the afternoon meeting was to start, about 100 speaker cards had been filled out, according to Miller, who added that some speaker cards were being filled out as early as 9 a.m.

As people filled out the cards, she asked them to state whether they were for or against the mine, because speakers would be divided and called up according to their position. They would be given one minute each to speak, but she said it was unclear how many speakers the supervisors would hear.