Community submits over 5,500 petition signatures against the mine
On July 12, we presented over 5,500 petition signatures to the Nevada County Board of Supervisors. Over 4,700 were from Nevada County residents. The remainder were from surrounding counties, visitors, and others. We also delivered 1,500 personalized comments drawn from the online petition.
In spoken comments, CEA Foundation President Ralph Silberstein stated “Despite Rise Gold’s claims to the contrary, these petitions add to the growing mountain of evidence that the people of Nevada County are overwhelmingly rejecting the mine. Read the press release.
A huge thank you goes to the hundreds of you who helped with this effort. If you still have petitions in your possession, please get them to us no later than July 31 so we can send an update to the County.
Controversy of the month – Rise Gold “stuffing ballot box”
During the comment period for the Draft Environmental Impact Report, Rise Gold submitted 1,600 reply cards and form letters as “comments” that simply declared support for the mine without following County guidelines to focus comments only on the adequacy of the report. This included over 500 duplicates and multiple spoofed names. In late June, they used those numbers to create a press release claiming that the majority of residents support the mine.
The Union covered it lightly on the 12th, but three opinion pieces published on July 20th tell the rest of the story in all its ugly detail.
Nationwide news coverage continues with a recent front-page article in the Washington Post:
A new gold rush pits money and jobs against California’s environment. This insightful piece by journalist Scott Wilson features the stories of two proposed mines, the Idaho-Maryland, and the Conglomerate Mesa project just northwest of Death Valley, CA. Scott puts a spotlight on the serious issue California faces with companies seeking to open old mines and explore in new sensitive regions amid resistance from Californians who want the Gold Rush to remain part of history. This article was “syndicated” and published by several others.
DON’T MISS THE FUN
Free Concert Sunday July 31 – Bring your own Picnic
Sunday, July 31st at 5:00 pm | Pioneer Park Bandshell | Nevada City
Join us for a FREE concert to protect our community and celebrate the amazing number of people who are standing up to STOP the reopening of the Idaho-Maryland Mine.
Bring family and friends, picnic food & drinks, and low chairs. Musicians will include the Earbuds, Geoff Eido, Charly Price, The Rosehips, Jerry Gazzaneo, Jonathan Meredith, and a special guest!
A huge round of thanks goes to the Concerned Citizens Roundtable for organizing this event. It is co-sponsored by Community Environmental Advocates Foundation.
If you can help, we’re also looking for a few volunteers to help staff the MineWatch information table and clean up after the event is over. Sign up here.
LOTS of volunteers needed – Nevada County Fair
Who let the hogs out? We need your help with our biggest tabling effort yet. Enjoy the surrounding fun, food, music, and more while talking to folks about the mine. Pick one or more 3-hour shifts that work for your schedule. We’re committed to be there from 10am to 10pm Wednesday August 10th through Sunday the 14th. That’s a total of 80 volunteer slots! Can you help? Sign up here.
FAST FACTS
Ben Mossman, the CEO of Rise Gold, is back in court in British Columbia, Canada on 9 federal and 20 provincial charges related to the spills at the Yellow Giant Mine in 2015. The court case is scheduled to run through November. Read the Union’s recent coverage. Rise Gold’s quotes are raising some eyebrows.
