The state land commissioner – in the face of court action – is going to renew a cement company’s mineral leases for state trust land regarded as environmentally sensitive by conservationists.

Environmental-related provisions in the renewal order include reclamation requirements, species monitoring and steps to prevent water pollution.

California Portland Cement had obtained a court order requiring the Land Department to act on the company’s long-stalled renewal applications.

California Portland has held leases on a total of 70 acres in Davidson Canyon between Tucson and Sonoita for some 30 years.

Though the company has only engaged in very limited production on the property, it has said it wants to extract limestone for use in its Rillito cement plant northwest of Tucson.