The County should deny the Idaho-Maryland Mine and should not certify the Final EIR
The County's Final Environmental and Economic Impact Reports have been published. On May 11, 2023, the Planning Commission voted...
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understand the impact
Rise Gold's plan calls for an estimated 42-48 billion watt hours per year (GWH). That's about 12% of what all of Nevada County uses in a year - and 100% of the electricity used by all of our businesses combined. The plans also calls for significant use of fossil fuels which contribute to greenhouse gas and climate change.
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
The Final Environmental Impact Report tells us the mine would result in staggering increases in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions: 9000 metric tons annually. But if they took into account the additional 4000 related to cement manufacturing that would happen offsite, it would be well over the the 10,000 metric ton significance threshold the consultants chose to use for the analysis.
Using these measures, they would have us believe the impact is “less than significant”, but climate change experts call the measurement thresholds arbitrary and outdated. And legal experts make the case for why the threshold needs to be set at "net zero".
ENERGY
The Nevada County Energy Action Plan calls for a significant reduction of residential electric use. As it turns out, that plan calls for a reduction of 42 GWH annually by 2035, almost the exact same yearly usage as the mine. In other words, the mine would completely erase our planned gains.
Residents of Nevada County are already struggling with severe climate-related impacts such as extreme drought, heat waves, water shortages, and threat of forest fires, so making the situation worse is not an option.
HELP US EDUCATE OTHERS
Here are some talking points that can help.
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The level of "significance" proposed in the environmental report are arbitrary and outdated. The best choice is "net zero".
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The mine would result in staggering increases in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions: 9000 metric tons annually.
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An additional 4000 metric tons of GHG would be emitted to support Rise Gold's requirement for cement manufacturing.
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Rise Gold proposes to "mitigate" greenhouse gas emissions with carbon offsets during the construction phase only.
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Electric usage would be roughly to 100% of usage for all of our current businesses combined and 12% of Nevada County's total yearly energy consumption.
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The mine would completely eliminate the County's planned gains for reduction of residential energy use in its Energy Action Plan.
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Examples of significant activities that contribute to the problem include: diesel-powered heavy equipment, water pumping and treatment, and diesel truck traffic.
Articles & Opinions
Hurts Climate
GREENHOUSE GAS
The mine calls for massive energy usage and would produce large quantities of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions - completely erasing the county's plans to cut residential power consumption and curb climate change.
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