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A lawsuit was promised for the city of Grass Valley Tuesday night if leaders vote to reopen the Idaho-Maryland Mine.
Concerns about pollution and the effect on wells were among the familiar objections raised about the proposal before the city Planning Commission, which held a public hearing before a packed house, with people spilling into the foyer behind the council chambers.
Supporters of the project pointed to the local jobs it would bring and the city’s roots in the mining industry.
The commissioners eventually will vote on whether the project’s draft environmental impact report adequately covers the possible consequence of reopening the historic gold mine and explores ways to soften those impacts.
The atmosphere during the hearing was tense. Although people felt strong emotions about the proposal, they generally followed instruction to speak civilly and refrain from applause.
Financial consultant and former local Wachovia Securities branch manager Bob Clark lives near the mine site. He told the Planning Commission he would sue if they OK the draft EIR and pass it on to the City Council for final approval.
“I have absolute confidence there will be legal action” if the reopening of the mine causes his property value to go down, affects his well or makes him feel his quality of life is diminished.
The financial manager said he also questioned the Idaho-Maryland Mining Corp.’s financial ability to operate the mine. In November, Clark said he feared the mine would be reopened only to be sold to an overseas firm with more capital than Idaho-Maryland’s parent company, Emgold of Canada.
But there was no question in Carl Bolton’s mind that the historic gold mine that closed in 1956 mine should be reopened.
“If everybody thinks the county is in great financial shape, they had better look around,” said Bolton, who was born and raised in Grass Valley. “People need to make a living, and the town of Grass Valley is drying up. We need jobs.
“This town was built on mining and can still prosper,” Bolton added.
Elisa Parker of Nevada City said times have changed.
“The community was revitalized after mining left,” Parker said. Arts and music helped establish a new economic base.
She referred to Bolton and other old-timers as “sentimentalists” who should think twice about bringing back the mine based on history.
“The area was also formed on prostitution and Chinese slavery,” Parker said. “Do we want to bring them back, too?”
Miner Robert Shoemaker said no known sicknesses have been caused by the chemicals formerly used at the mine, including cyanide, arsenic, lead and mercury.
Those toxic substances “don’t leap out of ground and attack people,” he said.
Losing water on Banner Mountain was a concern for homeowner Willy Kollmeyer,
who wondered what dewatering the Old Brunswick site might do to wells on the mountain.
“No one really knows the impacts,” Kollmeyer said.
Nevada Irrigation District water has been offered by mining officials to soften the impact of those near the mine who might lose their wells if water now in old mine shafts were drained to resume gold extraction.
Jim Otto lives near the proposed mine and said the process to get that water to affected residents might be lengthy and could result with many residents having temporary water supplies for years.
Bob Wilder, of Grass Valley and president of the Sierra Nevada Mining and Industry Council, said he had gathered 170 signatures in favor of the mine, “all of them local,” and hoped the city would approve the project to supply jobs.
Another public hearing will be held on the mine and its environmental report on Jan. 20 at City Hall. That is also when the written comments on the report are due.
Commission Chairman Rey Johnson recused himself from the mine discussion because he owns property near the proposed project. City Attorney Ruth Ziegler earlier had ruled Johnson cannot participate in mine matters.
New commission members Patti Ingram and Daniel Swartzendruber said they had thoroughly studied the situation and would be voting on mine matters along with returning members Kateri Harrison and Jason Fouyer.
To contact Senior Staff Writer Dave Moller, e-mail dmoller@theunion.com or call 477-4237.
Concerns about pollution and the effect on wells were among the familiar objections raised about the proposal before the city Planning Commission, which held a public hearing before a packed house, with people spilling into the foyer behind the council chambers.
Supporters of the project pointed to the local jobs it would bring and the city’s roots in the mining industry.
The commissioners eventually will vote on whether the project’s draft environmental impact report adequately covers the possible consequence of reopening the historic gold mine and explores ways to soften those impacts.
The atmosphere during the hearing was tense. Although people felt strong emotions about the proposal, they generally followed instruction to speak civilly and refrain from applause.
Financial consultant and former local Wachovia Securities branch manager Bob Clark lives near the mine site. He told the Planning Commission he would sue if they OK the draft EIR and pass it on to the City Council for final approval.
“I have absolute confidence there will be legal action” if the reopening of the mine causes his property value to go down, affects his well or makes him feel his quality of life is diminished.
The financial manager said he also questioned the Idaho-Maryland Mining Corp.’s financial ability to operate the mine. In November, Clark said he feared the mine would be reopened only to be sold to an overseas firm with more capital than Idaho-Maryland’s parent company, Emgold of Canada.
But there was no question in Carl Bolton’s mind that the historic gold mine that closed in 1956 mine should be reopened.
“If everybody thinks the county is in great financial shape, they had better look around,” said Bolton, who was born and raised in Grass Valley. “People need to make a living, and the town of Grass Valley is drying up. We need jobs.
“This town was built on mining and can still prosper,” Bolton added.
Elisa Parker of Nevada City said times have changed.
“The community was revitalized after mining left,” Parker said. Arts and music helped establish a new economic base.
She referred to Bolton and other old-timers as “sentimentalists” who should think twice about bringing back the mine based on history.
“The area was also formed on prostitution and Chinese slavery,” Parker said. “Do we want to bring them back, too?”
Miner Robert Shoemaker said no known sicknesses have been caused by the chemicals formerly used at the mine, including cyanide, arsenic, lead and mercury.
Those toxic substances “don’t leap out of ground and attack people,” he said.
Losing water on Banner Mountain was a concern for homeowner Willy Kollmeyer,
who wondered what dewatering the Old Brunswick site might do to wells on the mountain.
“No one really knows the impacts,” Kollmeyer said.
Nevada Irrigation District water has been offered by mining officials to soften the impact of those near the mine who might lose their wells if water now in old mine shafts were drained to resume gold extraction.
Jim Otto lives near the proposed mine and said the process to get that water to affected residents might be lengthy and could result with many residents having temporary water supplies for years.
Bob Wilder, of Grass Valley and president of the Sierra Nevada Mining and Industry Council, said he had gathered 170 signatures in favor of the mine, “all of them local,” and hoped the city would approve the project to supply jobs.
Another public hearing will be held on the mine and its environmental report on Jan. 20 at City Hall. That is also when the written comments on the report are due.
Commission Chairman Rey Johnson recused himself from the mine discussion because he owns property near the proposed project. City Attorney Ruth Ziegler earlier had ruled Johnson cannot participate in mine matters.
New commission members Patti Ingram and Daniel Swartzendruber said they had thoroughly studied the situation and would be voting on mine matters along with returning members Kateri Harrison and Jason Fouyer.
To contact Senior Staff Writer Dave Moller, e-mail dmoller@theunion.com or call 477-4237.
