Lehigh faces oversight, environment challenges Written by Bruce Barton No news may be good news for residents living near a long-standing quarry and cement plant in the foothills just south of Los Altos. A host of regulators participating in Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian’s annual meeting last week on the status of Lehigh Southwest Cement Co. operations described a “quiet year” in 2020, with an overall slowdown in activity. A recently filed Lehigh lawsuit against the county planning department, however, underscores the company’s continued efforts to secure the necessary approvals to expand operations. On hand at Simitian’s March 3 meeting were officials from oversight agencies that ranged from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) and the county planning department. As the county’s biggest polluter, the cement plant and quarry are subjected to numerous air and water quality regulations, and regular inspections.