Ross Roberts

Even if it is , however , Syar now plans to begin mining next summer , said Ross Roberts , the company's attorney.

But Syar attorney Ross Roberts said the environmental issue has been studied to death.

It really surprises us that they ( environmentalists ) could take a position contrary to all the science and work that has been done on studying the impact of gravel mining in-channel , he said.

Roberts said Syar spent more than $1 million on tests , studies and surveys before and after it received the state board's blessing.

If you were to line up those reports , they'd probably take up 8 feet , he said.

Syar sought approval from Sonoma County for its gravel-mining plans about 13 years ago.However , the county didn't act on the request before July 1 , 1990.

That triggered a provision in the federal Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1977 allowing Syar instead to seek approval from the State Mining and Geology Board in Sacramento.

The board signed off on Syar's proposal in 1997.

"We're not admitting that their allegations are correct at all," Syar attorney Ross Roberts said.

No Syar representatives spoke at the meeting , but company attorney Ross Roberts earlier said the plant complies with all government regulations.He said Syar meets the city's standards for noise in an industrial zone and state requirements for air emissions.

Roberts said the company is willing to talk to the city , however , if there are public concerns.

We're interested in knowing what they are concerned about , he said.We want to be good neighbors..

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There has been a gravel processing plant at the site for at least 60 years , Roberts said.He said Syar operates under vested rights established when it was under Sonoma County jurisdiction.The property was annexed to Healdsburg in the late 1970s and Syar acquired it from Basalt Rock Co. in 1986.

Syar screens , crushes , loads and stockpiles sand and gravel at the plant near the Healdsburg Avenue bridge.Syar also operates an asphalt plant on the site , under a separate permit from the city.

"We have considerable land on the Russian River," said Ross Roberts, general counsel for Syar."There are public safety issues that we need to be concerned about and there are water quality issues too with respect to garbage and what kinds of impacts public recreation has on the water."

Paddling groups and Sonoma County officials say the company's fence may not be legal, and they vow to force its removal.

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Roberts said the company's decision to put up the fence was made without regard to any possible land sale negotiations.