The Sierra Fund’s informational meeting on legacy mining impacts that was scheduled to be held tomorrow has been postponed due to the continued federal government shutdown. It will be rescheduled once the agency experts speaking at the meeting are no longer furloughed.
“This is another frustrating example of how the federal government shutdown affects our community,” says Kerry Morse, Director of Communications for The Sierra Fund. “The Sierra Fund has spent so much time and effort planning this meeting for our community, pulling together expert presenters from USGS and BLM, and publicizing the meeting. We have gotten an enthusiastic response from our community about the information being presented. Now, everyone is disappointed.”
At the meeting, which will be rescheduled in the near future, representatives from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) will be presenting the results of assessments in the Deer Creek Stocking Flat area, Hirschman’s Pond and the Lonesome Lake area on the San Juan Ridge. Stocking Flat is on BLM property just downstream of the existing Tribute Trail bridge. USGS recently completed an assessment of mine related contaminants left over from historic mining activities on these properties and an evaluation of mercury levels in fish from Hirschman’s Pond. USGS and local scientists will present the assessment results for the first time in our community.
When the meeting is held, speakers will be available to answer questions about their studies, and how to avoid exposure to legacy mercury and other heavy metals related to historic mining in this area, including arsenic and lead.
The Sierra Fund is hosting this event with co-sponsors: the Nevada County Public Health Department, Greater Champion Neighborhood Association, Greater Cement Hill Neighborhood Association, San Juan Ridge Taxpayers Association and the Yuba Watershed Institute.
