·

Action Alert: Submit Letters for Environmental Scoping of the Idaho-Maryland Mine

Share with Your People

On July 17, 2020, Nevada County published a Notice of Preparation (NOP) to identify what issues should be addressed in the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) to assess the impacts associated with re-opening the Idaho Maryland Mine. Community input will be accepted until August 17. SYRCL has concerns and is watchdogging the project due to negative mining impacts within the Yuba and Bear River watersheds from past operations. Nevada County’s NOP is the first step in the environmental review process as required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and one of many regulatory hurdles the Project still has to go through before beginning mining operations again.


Map showing mining site boundaries (red) and mineral rights boundaries (orange). Click map to view larger format.

Robust public engagement is vital to truly assess the environmental impacts to our community and our precious waterways. To learn more about the project, visit the Community Environmental Advocates Foundation website, Frequently Asked Questions and check out SYRCL’s work to address legacy mining issues here.

DEADLINE:  Comment letters are due to Nevada County by August 17, 2020.

How to Engage:

1. Review the Mine Proposal
        a. Read the Notice of Preparation here.
        b. Listen to the Video of the County Scoping Meeting here.


Map of mining site locations. Click map to view larger format.

2. Formulate your questions about the mine’s impacts and organize them into a letter. If you have questions, contact the County or email the Community Environmental Advocates (CEA) Foundation at mineconcerns@cea-nc.org.

3. Call or send a letter to Nevada County Department of Planning with your comments – no later than August 17, 2020.

Mr. Matt Kelley
Senior Planner
Nevada County Planning Department
950 Maidu Avenue
Nevada City, CA 95959-8617
email: matt.kelley@co.nevada.ca.us
phone: 530-265-1222 option 2

Comment Letter Tips: 

      • Focus your study requests on the environmental process, what you want analyzed, and what environmental impacts you want considered.
      • Make sure that your specific requests are clear and concise.
      • Include your name and contact information in case the County needs to contact you to clarify a point. 
      • For more detailed tips and a sample letter, check out the CEA Foundation website.
      • NOP comments are divided into various categories. Reviewing these categories may help spark your thinking and organize your comments. The impact categories are:
  • Aesthetics
  • Agriculture and Forestry
  • Air Quality
  • Terrestrial & Aquatic Biological Resources
  • Cultural Resources
  • Tribal Cultural Resources
  • Geology/Soils
  • Greenhouse Gas Emissions
  • Hazards & Hazardous Material
  • Hydrology/Water Quality
  • Land Use/Planning
  • Mineral Resources
  • Noise
  • Population/Housing
  • Public Services Recreation
  • Transportation & Traffic
  • Utilities & Service Systems
  • Economic Study


Share with Your People

Did you enjoy this post?

Get new SYRCL articles delivered to your inbox by subscribing to our ENews.

9 Comments

  1. Julie herrlinger says:

    Why on earth are we even considering opening a mine here? This space is much more valuable as is. We dont need more jobs, telecommuting and online businesses give way more money than poverty wage mine jobs.

  2. Thanks for sending this out SYRCL!! There is an active Facebook group called Stop The Mine. Please submit any concerns you have to the Board of Supervisors as well as Matt Kelley. We need public input that we are opposed to this..

  3. Suzanne Remien says:

    Seriously Folks- Are you alert to the concept of Global Warming? The last thing we need is a MINE in this area- You should be covering this are with Vegetation, Trees, mountain biking and hiking trails. The #1 method money generating is Open Space.
    Who are the people moving to the Nevada City , Grass Valley area and why?
    https://outdoorindustry.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/OIA_RecEconomy_FINAL_Single.pdf

    OUTDOOR RECREATION IS A POWERFUL ECONOMIC ENGINE:

    Outdoor recreation is among our nation’s largest economic sectors, representing the lifeblood of thousands of American communities and providing livelihoods for millions of American workers:
    THE OUTDOOR RECREATION ECONOMY GENERATES:

    7.6 MILLION AMERICAN JOBS
    $887 BILLION IN CONSUMER SPENDING ANNUALLY
    $65.3 BILLION IN FEDERAL TAX REVENUE
    $59.2 BILLION IN STATE AND LOCAL TAX REVENUE

    Please consider this in your deliberations- What kind of environment do you want to live in?

    Suzanne Remien
    Whitewater kayaker—Ready to RETIRE in this area if there is No Mine!
    21138 Almaden Road
    San Jose, CA 95120

  4. Shila Van Wagenen says:

    Why on earth would we permit a Canadian company to move into our area and debase the land?
    There’s nothing to gain and a lot to lose from this proposition.
    Please consider the hardships potentially created by this new idea, whose time hasn’t come.
    Thank you.

  5. Mark Toelkes says:

    Why, why. must we be subjected to constant incursions by greedy developers and polluting extractive corporations. Why!!!!!!!!!!!can’t our elected officials defend us . We will not allow this to happen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!get real.

  6. Tim Stokes says:

    Those who do not learn from the Past are bound to repeat it. We have ample evidence (literally underfoot) that hard rock mining is better relegated to the Past. Our immediate challenge is to ensure that pure,uncontaminated water is available for future generations. There is no need to drag past contamination ( in the form of 3.6 million gals./day until the mine is de-watered and 1.2 million gals./day in perpetuity) into the Present,when we have our hands full trying to mitigate previous follies.

  7. Martin Hadley says:

    The comment, (We dont need more jobs, telecommuting and online businesses give way more money than poverty wage mine jobs.) Is so wrong, I have lived in Nevada county for over 35 years, went to grade school here and now I work here,own a home. One thing we do need is more blue collar type jobs not everyone is able to work from home and or have a online business. One thing we do not need more of if fact much less is the retired folks moving up here from the Bay, driving us local working class out. Also I find building more retirement apartments and care home to be more than an impact on the environment than a new age ran mining operation. Furthermore we need jobs here of all type to keep working people and family’s here and not driving down the hill to work witch adds to pollution even more.

  8. Kim Sargenti says:

    Asbestos……our state rock has it running through it. It’s from mining, commercial mining. How could we look our children in the eye knowing their futures are doomed by this destruction. Never let money (greed) be the deciding factor for allowing industry into our foothills. Please, get involved! This is no time for apathy.

  9. Action Alert: Submit Letters for Environmental Scoping of the Idaho-Maryland Mine | Hydropower Reform Coalition says:

    […] post Action Alert: Submit Letters for Environmental Scoping of the Idaho-Maryland Mine appeared first on South Yuba River Citizens […]

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *