Do Owners of Blue Lead Mine Owe $34,675,000 in Fines?
In the following video excerpt from his comments to the Planning Commission on April 22, 2010 Mike Luksic (pronounced “luck sic”) of the Office of Mine Reclamation (OMR) states that the owners of Blue Lead Mine may owe $34,675,000 in fines and penalties for continuous violations for the last 19 years. He also suggests that — if Nevada County does not strictly enforce SMARA regulations — OMR could take over from the county its role as lead agency in all mining operations.
Clearly, much is at stake with the decision the Planning Commission will make at its next and presumably final meeting on this issue on Thursday of this week (May 27th). Many people will be watching this decision closely.
Granting a vested right to Blue Lead could well open a Pandora’s Box of such applications, since other Nevada County properties are currently being advertised with the suggestion that they may also be eligible for vested rights.
2 thoughts on “Do Owners of Blue Lead Mine Owe $34,675,000 in Fines?”
how is it that the govt has figured out EVERY angle to have us by our balls??? ie. if the county does not go after these guys, and seek back payment, then the Feds will come in and start charging $5000 per claim.
It seems that the county and the Feds never missed any money that they could have been getting from the Blue Lead, but now that they found out about the operation, they scream bloody murder and say that they are “losing” money….
Yeah seems like the owners/operators of the Blue Lead really messed things up for themselves, and perhaps should pay some fines, especially if they hit some considerable pay dirt. But trying to extract $34million AND $200k for penalties is like trying to squeeze blood out of a turnip.
Whats a real shame is that now the Feds have plotted to get the masses in Nevada County against the Blue Lead….ITS ALL ABOUT MONEY. MONEY MONEY MONEY.