GV Resident Heidi Zimmerman describes the insane disruption caused by Rise Gold during their exploratory phase and calls on the Board of Supervisors to make better choices for our community. You can also read this in The Union.
I live on East Bennett across the street from the second exploratory drilling site that Rise Gold ran. It was directly across from my bedroom. They drilled for about nine months, 24 hours a day and exceeded allowable decibel ranges on properties that share a property line with different zonings. As in this case, residential next to light industrial, which gold mining 24 hours a day is hardly light industrial.
I briefly want to say how incredibly intrusive that drilling was. It was quite maddening 24 hours a day. The vibration and loud drilling only stopped briefly when they changed their drills. We never heard the birds sing! The vibration in the ground was measurable by a human.
I am expressing this because it’s important to understand that entire communities that currently pay a good tax base to the county would be devastated. I fear our town will decline on many levels, especially our basic quality of life, including air, water and sound pollution.
It is so quaint and beautiful here. Isn’t this why we choose to live here? Let us look at the bigger picture of this issue. This would be a complete devastation to Nevada County, specifically Grass Valley and Nevada City. The outcome is very bleak if this town and county choose to give a permit to Rise Gold.
Please review their mission statement. It says nothing about mining. I believe if this permit is awarded to Rise Gold, it could then be sold to a mining company that we have never dealt with, which could be even more tragic.
Each of you on the board and any decision makers have the opportunity to create a legacy for this town, your families and peers in the community. At this pivotal time, we ask you to look deep into your hearts and feel what the right choice is in regard to this issue of reopening a gold mine in Nevada County in this day and age of 2021!
It is time to look forward and plan a future for Nevada County with new programs that reduce, reuse, recycle, repurpose and also continue to grow food and support our community with renewable energies. We can be a leader in this state and country, preserving what we have here.
Let us be the model for others to follow in walking forward in a new way of living that is sustainable and reliable. Live in a way that is in harmony with Mother Nature. We have the perfect climate to do so.
In addition, this said property would be a fantastic community gathering place. With bike/running trails, kids’ playground, the senior wood program, an outdoor venue for events, a dog play area and a farmers market.
Let’s get creative and really plan the future for both of these towns. It’s exciting to look to the new and be a leader in moving forward. We live here because it brings us joy and isn’t that what all of us want in this life? More joy!