bedrock bubba
Sr. Member
- Jun 27, 2010
- 449
- 406
Once again, this is all the fault of the enviro wackos and privateers!
Read on: From the union.com
Steps need to be taken now to oppose efforts to sell Empire Mine State Historic Park in Grass Valley, supporters said Tuesday.
“Just the fact that there is some consideration of selling a state park means people need to step in and say, ‘This is not OK,’” said Ray Patton, sector superintendent at the park from 1986 to 2004.
“Tourism is big for Nevada County, and this is one of the biggest draws,” Patton said. “Especially for rural communities — parks are our lifeblood.”
Patton was one of about 50 people at a grassroots rally organized by park neighbor Pat Sharp, who walks there every day.
Other attendees were bikers, hikers, horseback riders, parents who bring their kids there, naturalists, history buffs and politicians.
“This park has been in our family for over 100 years,” said Grass Valley Mayor Dan Miller. “To entertain selling or shutting it down doesn’t sit right in our community.
”The state is manipulating our history,” added Miller, who is seeking to unseat Nevada County Supervisor Terry Lamphier for the 3rd District county seat in the June 3 primary elections.
Lamphier, who could not attend the rally due to the Tuesday morning supervisors’ public meeting, sent a statement that was read to the crowd by Sharp.
“We, the taxpayers, own this park and Grass Valley owes its very existence to the Empire Mine,” Lamphier said. “I resolve to make it a top priority to oppose privatization of Empire Mine State Park.”
Grass Valley resident Virginia Brunini, who was instrumental in the state’s purchase of the park property in 1975, has started a petition drive both in hard copy and online.
The online petition, which has so far more than 900 signatures, is on Facebook at Save the Empire Mine State Historic Park .
Brunini said she collected 500 signatures at her table at SPD Market in Grass Valley over the weekend and intends to continue collecting signatures every weekend through April 28.
Since only adults can sign the petitions, Bonnie Connor of Grass Valley is organizing sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders at Lyman Gilmore School to send letters directly to state lawmakers.
“We need to mail these in so they know that people over 18 aren’t the only ones,” Connor said.
Connor said she will likely mail them to state Assemblyman Brian Dahle, who represents Nevada County. Brunini said she also intends to give the petitions to state Sens. Jim Nielsen and Ted Gaines, who overlap in representing Nevada County.
“I see people here of all ages and from all countries,” said Bob Thorpe, a blacksmith at the park. “This is such a valuable resource.”
Jim Vaughan, a local naturalist, said he is organizing three free nature walks and a political action committee.
“The state budget is set to be under review in three weeks,” he said. “I want to document all the uses of the park.”
The free nature walks will be 10 a.m., Saturdays, April 12, 19 and 26, starting at Penn Gate.
For more information, email Vaughan at [email protected]
Pat Dyer, of Utopian Stone Goldsmiths, said people need to celebrate the legacy of gold mining and “separate the toxic legacy from the history.”
“Let’s not villainize gold mining because of how they did it back then,” he said. “We know better now how to protect the environment — we can’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.”
Dyer said gold is the core of California’s history.
“Without California’s golden history, the life we live today would not be here,” he said, referring to the railroads and highways built to serve the mining industry.
“Gold and gold mining, we need to celebrate it,” Dyer said.
Patton, one of the earliest supporters of the underground tourist tunnel that the state cancelled earlier this year after spending $3.5 million, said it needs to be completed.
“They put in raw steel beams instead of galvanized steel beam or epoxy-coated beams, so of course they are rusting,” Patton said. “They just need to replace the beams and it will be good to go.”
Patton also said the Newmont Mining Co., which originally mined Empire Mine and created the toxic runoff, needs to pay the cost of the cleanup.
A state Senate subcommittee last month authorized a $5 milliion payment for the toxic waste cleanup, a payment that the committee staff said triggered the idea of selling off the mine due to the ongoing cost paid by the state.
Let me backtrack:
The enviros wanted 5 million to clean up the "toxic" waste at the Magenta Drain. Which is a total boondoggle, as the old cyanide water only stained the dirt orange, and neutralized with the soil as it always does! I have seen it, it is NOTHING! It is NOT toxic!
Well that's when the state decided to offer up the park for sale to private interests(possibly a "good ole boy waiting in the wings for a gravy deal, using a tax subsidy?) Possibly a greenie?
Then the state spent 3.5 million for Mike Miller of the 16-to-1 mine fame to drill out a new tunnel for the tourists to see. Oops! They used raw steel beams, that are now rusting! Well, that's fixable! Who's fault is that? Perhaps it was because of budget restraints? I don't know. And maybe Mike will find a huge gold strike in there. Then, what would happen?
But that should not be an excuse to cancel the whole tunnel operation! You need to look at the whole picture on this. The park is a huge hit with locals and tourists, and is a moneymaker for Nevada County.
Read on: From the union.com
Steps need to be taken now to oppose efforts to sell Empire Mine State Historic Park in Grass Valley, supporters said Tuesday.
“Just the fact that there is some consideration of selling a state park means people need to step in and say, ‘This is not OK,’” said Ray Patton, sector superintendent at the park from 1986 to 2004.
“Tourism is big for Nevada County, and this is one of the biggest draws,” Patton said. “Especially for rural communities — parks are our lifeblood.”
Patton was one of about 50 people at a grassroots rally organized by park neighbor Pat Sharp, who walks there every day.
Other attendees were bikers, hikers, horseback riders, parents who bring their kids there, naturalists, history buffs and politicians.
“This park has been in our family for over 100 years,” said Grass Valley Mayor Dan Miller. “To entertain selling or shutting it down doesn’t sit right in our community.
”The state is manipulating our history,” added Miller, who is seeking to unseat Nevada County Supervisor Terry Lamphier for the 3rd District county seat in the June 3 primary elections.
Lamphier, who could not attend the rally due to the Tuesday morning supervisors’ public meeting, sent a statement that was read to the crowd by Sharp.
“We, the taxpayers, own this park and Grass Valley owes its very existence to the Empire Mine,” Lamphier said. “I resolve to make it a top priority to oppose privatization of Empire Mine State Park.”
Grass Valley resident Virginia Brunini, who was instrumental in the state’s purchase of the park property in 1975, has started a petition drive both in hard copy and online.
The online petition, which has so far more than 900 signatures, is on Facebook at Save the Empire Mine State Historic Park .
Brunini said she collected 500 signatures at her table at SPD Market in Grass Valley over the weekend and intends to continue collecting signatures every weekend through April 28.
Since only adults can sign the petitions, Bonnie Connor of Grass Valley is organizing sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders at Lyman Gilmore School to send letters directly to state lawmakers.
“We need to mail these in so they know that people over 18 aren’t the only ones,” Connor said.
Connor said she will likely mail them to state Assemblyman Brian Dahle, who represents Nevada County. Brunini said she also intends to give the petitions to state Sens. Jim Nielsen and Ted Gaines, who overlap in representing Nevada County.
“I see people here of all ages and from all countries,” said Bob Thorpe, a blacksmith at the park. “This is such a valuable resource.”
Jim Vaughan, a local naturalist, said he is organizing three free nature walks and a political action committee.
“The state budget is set to be under review in three weeks,” he said. “I want to document all the uses of the park.”
The free nature walks will be 10 a.m., Saturdays, April 12, 19 and 26, starting at Penn Gate.
For more information, email Vaughan at [email protected]
Pat Dyer, of Utopian Stone Goldsmiths, said people need to celebrate the legacy of gold mining and “separate the toxic legacy from the history.”
“Let’s not villainize gold mining because of how they did it back then,” he said. “We know better now how to protect the environment — we can’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.”
Dyer said gold is the core of California’s history.
“Without California’s golden history, the life we live today would not be here,” he said, referring to the railroads and highways built to serve the mining industry.
“Gold and gold mining, we need to celebrate it,” Dyer said.
Patton, one of the earliest supporters of the underground tourist tunnel that the state cancelled earlier this year after spending $3.5 million, said it needs to be completed.
“They put in raw steel beams instead of galvanized steel beam or epoxy-coated beams, so of course they are rusting,” Patton said. “They just need to replace the beams and it will be good to go.”
Patton also said the Newmont Mining Co., which originally mined Empire Mine and created the toxic runoff, needs to pay the cost of the cleanup.
A state Senate subcommittee last month authorized a $5 milliion payment for the toxic waste cleanup, a payment that the committee staff said triggered the idea of selling off the mine due to the ongoing cost paid by the state.
Let me backtrack:
The enviros wanted 5 million to clean up the "toxic" waste at the Magenta Drain. Which is a total boondoggle, as the old cyanide water only stained the dirt orange, and neutralized with the soil as it always does! I have seen it, it is NOTHING! It is NOT toxic!
Well that's when the state decided to offer up the park for sale to private interests(possibly a "good ole boy waiting in the wings for a gravy deal, using a tax subsidy?) Possibly a greenie?
Then the state spent 3.5 million for Mike Miller of the 16-to-1 mine fame to drill out a new tunnel for the tourists to see. Oops! They used raw steel beams, that are now rusting! Well, that's fixable! Who's fault is that? Perhaps it was because of budget restraints? I don't know. And maybe Mike will find a huge gold strike in there. Then, what would happen?
But that should not be an excuse to cancel the whole tunnel operation! You need to look at the whole picture on this. The park is a huge hit with locals and tourists, and is a moneymaker for Nevada County.
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