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JOIN THE
WELLS COALITION

If you have a well and live close to the Idaho-Maryland Mine in Grass Valley, CA
YOUR WELL IS AT RISK!

Abou

WHO WE ARE

The Wells Coalition is a grassroots effort to bring together well owners in the vicinity of Idaho-Maryland Mine in Grass Valley, California.

Our mission is to protect our only source of water, our wells.

Water
The Issue

The Issue

Rise Gold, a junior mining company with a questionable history, wants to reopen the Idaho-Maryland Mine which has been closed since the 1950’s. They're asking for an 80 year lease. 


Mining is a risky business that requires extensive dewatering of existing and future mine tunnels. This presents a very real risk of damaging or destroying wells in the area. Asking our County to approve a mine in such a densely populated area is an unprecedented proposal. 

Our Position
Senior Portrait
Fists in Solidarity

Where We Stand

The Wells Coalition has reviewed Nevada County’s Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) on the Idaho-Maryland Mine and found it to be completely unacceptable. Huge risks to well owners are not being addressed.


We are asking Nevada County to REJECT the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for the Idaho-Maryland Mine and VOTE NO on the project.

WC In Action

Wells Coalition in Action

Well-Related Comments at Planning Commission Public Hearing

May 10, 2023

Click on the image above to open the recorded meeting. Use the timecodes to find a comment.

  • 5:03:20 – NID – Jennifer Hanson – $14M bond, revised threshold for well drawdown, 3 yrs well monitoring

  • 5:18: 45 – CEA Foundation – Ray Bryars – CEQA baseline and wells overview

  • 5: 24: 35 – Wells Coalition – Christy Hubbard – Presentation of group letter

  • 5: 27: 59 – Wells Coalition – Bob Hubbard – Comparable water supply not feasible

  • 5:33:09 – Wells Coalition – Linda Lanzoni – Well monitoring for 378 properties

  • 5:36:25 – Wells Coalition - Jill Shoemaker – Fixit plan and water tanks, no accountability

  • 4:39:34 – Wells Coalition – Eric Gibbons for Daniel Ketchum – NID feasibility issues – concrete examples

  • 6:07:23 – CEA Foundation – Kurt Lorenz – Protections offered to well owners in 1996

  • 6:54:41 – Wells Coalition – Beverly Blake – Well owner / realtor perspective
     

May 11, 2023

 

1:07:51 – CEA Foundation – Peter Allison - Threshold of significance for well drawdown

1:38:04 – Wells Coalition – Tony Lauria – Speculative promise for money vs devastation for well owners

1:48: 09 – Wells Coalition – Ricki Heck - Well program boundaries / tax revenue loss

2:11:36 – Wells Coalition – Elaine Blair – Civil engineer – dewatering and local natural springs

2:14:35 – San Juan Ridge Taxpayers Association – Brian Fry for Sol Henson – Cautionary tale, wells and accountability

2:31:41 – Wells Coalition – Laura Gagliosso – Smack in the middle of the EIR’s 30 properties to get NID

4:09:20 – CEA Foundation, Wells Coalition – Jennifer Burt – Dismissal of experts, e.g, hydrogeology

4:29:42 – Ricky Colby – San Juan Ridge personal experience with mine dewatering

4:56:08 – Wells Coalition – Gary Pierazzi – 20 years fighting the mine
 

Don't miss the fireworks during final deliberations and voting.

6:03:00 – Commissioner Terry McAteer questions NID's Jennifer Hansen, Rise CEO Ben Mossman, and more

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May 11 Gary.PNG
Take Action

Join the Fight!

Nevada County Supervisors will be making a decision about whether to approve the mine soon (est. August 2023). Here’s what you can do to help.

JOIN THE COALITION

If you’re a well owner or local resident whose property is within roughly a half mile of the mine’s mineral rights area, you are in the best position to make an impact with County decision makers.

 

Complete our "Concerned Well Owners" form to join our mailing list.

SHOW YOUR OPPOSITION

Resources

Resources

Learn more by reading articles, opinions, and public comments given by members of the Wells Coalition and others in the community.

Wells Coalition Public Comments

Articles and Opinions

Nevada County Project Documentation

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More Reasons

Wells are only one reason people in our community are concerned about reopening the Idaho-Maryland Mine. Learn more on CEA Foundation's MineWatch website.

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