The Sierra Fund to talk about funding for cleaning up “Mining’s Toxic Legacy” and “Smart Growth” Assistance
NEVADA CITY, 21 April 2009 — Today The Sierra Fund (TSF) will continue its “Mining’s Toxic Legacy” tour in Mono and Inyo counties after making a six county swing through the Sierra.
Among the topics on the agenda are presentations of TSF’s Mining’s Toxic Legacy Initiative, funding opportunities for assessment and cleanup, and technical assistance from the US Environmental Protection Agency to help communities impacted by legacy mining activities.
“Mining’s Toxic Legacy” presentations will take place in Mammoth Lakes on Tuesday, April 21 at 6:00PM at the Mono County Branch Library Hall, 400 Sierra Park Road; and in Bishop on Wednesday, April 22 at 5:30PM at the Bishop High School Library, 301 North Fowler.
Both presentations are free and open to the public.
Thank you to the Range of Light Group of the Sierra Club for inviting us to present in Mammoth Lakes!
“Mining’s Toxic Legacy has been with us for a long time and is finally beginning to get the attention it deserves,” says Mining Project Community Organizer Mike Thornton. “New funding was included in the recently-passed economic stimulus bill for mine cleanup that will help alleviate some of the physical, environmental and health hazards posed by the 47,000 relics that continue to cause real problems across California. In addition, Brownfields money from EPA is an opportunity for local governments and non-profits to get direct funding for pollution problems that might not be addressed by the work to be done by the Federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and US Forest Service. ‘Brownfields’ are most often thought of when it comes to urban industrial sites that have been abandoned or ignored, but legacy mine and mill sites are also Brownfields and can be used for redevelopment as housing, open space, parks or as infill.”
Sandy Karinen of CA Department of Toxic Substances Control adds: “Funding available through the Federal EPA Brownfields program can help communities assess toxin problems and help with cleanup efforts, and also with job training and ‘Smart Growth’ technical assistance. DTSC would like to see rural California communities get their fair share of this funding.”
