Let Inyo National Forest Leadership Know You Oppose KORE Mining's Drilling at Hot Creek, Which Could Start as Early as September 1! |
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What's Happening? In September 2021, the Inyo National Forest gave Canadian Company KORE Mining the green light to begin exploratory drilling at Hot Creek. This permit was granted under the Categorical Exclusion process, which provides for the lowest possible environmental review. Several organizations, including the Sierra Club, Friends of the Inyo, Center for Biological Diversity, and Western Watersheds Project sued KORE Mining and the US Forest Service on the grounds that the USFS had improperly granted the permits, ignoring the significant potential environmental impacts to Long Valley. These impacts would not just be to the land, but to wildlife, including a dwindling Bi-State Sage Grouse population, as well as the endangered Owens Tui Chub fish. Further, the permit improperly failed to provide that all drilling and remediation work be completed within one year, which is required for projects operating under a Categorical Exclusion. After the court ruled in favor of KORE and the USFS, the plaintiff organizations appealed the ruling, and a hearing will be held on the 25th of this month; however, it could be several months before the court renders a decision on the appeal. KORE’s permit allows them to start drilling on September 1. This means they may show up at Hot Creek as soon as the first of next month, which is just a couple of weeks away. The drilling will be conducted night and day bringing light, noise, and dust pollution to Long Valley for a year. Read a recent media release from KORE Mining detailing, in their own words, their planned mining operations. |
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What Can I Do? No Hot Creek Mine and Friends of the Inyo urge supporters and local community members to take a stand against KORE Mining. Contact Inyo National Forest Leadership and let them know that: - We are absolutely opposed to exploratory drilling at Hot Creek;
- We believe the INF/USFS's approval of this project under a Categorical Exclusion is unlawful;
- We are deeply concerned about the impacts mining will have on our local tourist economy, as well as about the environmental impacts to dwindling sage grouse populations, the Owens Tui Chub, and the ecosystem in general; and
- As a community, we are taking a stand against KORE Mining and do not condone the USFS's approval of the project.
Please reference Long Valley Exploration Drilling Project (59294), when you 1) Call: - Inyo National Forest Supervisor Lesley Yen at 760.873.2400, or
- Inyo National Forest Public Affairs Officer Lisa Cox at 760.873.2427
or 2) Write to the INF using the "Contact Us" page on the Forest's website. The button below will take you there: |
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