October 31, 2009 - In a recent press release, the President and CEO of Emgold Mining Corporation, David Watkinson, complained that an earlier press release issued by Dunn Capital Partners explaining Dunn's decision to end funding talks with Emgold contained a "concoction of falsehoods".
However, all of Dunn's assertions regarding the environmental impacts are true:
IMM's impact to an urban location – true
The risk of water loss to local wells – true
Surface Mining and Reclamation Act and hydrologist reports – true
Inadequate support documents to prove the adherence to CEQA – true
Citizen petitions against the mine – also true
Other detrimental impacts not mentioned in Dunn's press release but well documented in the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) include significantly increased air pollution and truck traffic, noise pollution, huge energy consumption, and the very real risk of water pollution.
The public comments on the DEIR for the Idaho Maryland Mine project include critical comments from some of the very governmental agencies that would be tasked with permitting the project if it is approved by the Grass Valley City Council.
David Watkinson asserts that the "project is in fact well supported in the local community", referring to a telephone survey commissioned by the City of Grass Valley almost three years ago in early 2006, prior to the release of the DEIR.
In fact, the survey focused on attitudes toward quality of life, perceptions of City government services, proposals to improve conditions in Grass Valley, and planning for future growth. Only one of the 31 questions dealt with the Idaho-Maryland Mine: "Provided that appropriate environmental safeguards are in place (would you support) allowing the Idaho Maryland gold mine to reopen?" The DEIR, which was published in the Fall of 2008, clearly shows that environmental safeguards are NOT in place, and that there are serious questions about the viability of this project within 1 ½ miles of downtown, a hospital, parks, trails, schools and surrounded by homes and businesses on all sides.
It is significant that only 338 people responded to the survey (out of a total population of approximately 12,000), and the survey does not reveal how many of those few respondents own residential property near the mine site. It is Interesting that traffic congestion topped the list of concerns and that, when asked what they like most about living in Grass Valley, many pointed to the area's scenic beauty, peace, and serenity.
There may be a legitimate dispute between Emgold and Dunn Capital Partners about who broke up with whom, but who cares? According to the Environmental Protection Agency Toxic Release Inventory, hardrock metal mining has been the #1 polluter in America for the past nine years in a row. Further, a 2006 study reveals that "Despite assurances from government regulators and mine proponents that mines would not pollute clean water, researchers found that 76 percent of studied mines exceeded water quality standards, polluting rivers, and groundwater with toxic contaminants, such as lead, mercury, arsenic and cyanide, and exposing taxpayers to huge cleanup liabilities."
The real fight is over whether to allow Emgold to re-open the Idaho-Maryland Mine for hardrock mining, thus turning Grass Valley into a dirty factory town and, with the probable loss of high tech industry and tourism resulting from this change, into a rural backwater.
