Fools gold

Dear Editor:

I have been ruminating for the past few days over what I observed at the February 15, 2011 presentation by mining company, Cougar Gold, to the Mono County Supervisors.  I thought I’d learn about Cougar Gold’s mining plans in the Bodie Hills.  Well, I had no such luck.  Essentially what the company came to do is get support for loosening protections without ever telling us what they really intend to do.  No concrete plans have been submitted to the BLM or County or to US, the citizens of Mono County.

Is that what we want for the Bodie Hills?  To give carte blanche to a mining company?  Will they develop an open pit mine?  Use cyanide?  Poison the watersheds?  Dry up springs?  Cause highway safety problems and scores of accidents by increased truck traffic on US 395?  Who is this company and what do they really want to do to our lands, waters and communities?  Will they sell out before the price of gold drops and leave us with a toxic mess?

Extensive mining could change the Bodie Hills, forever.  Mining is a “Boom and Bust” venture.  I believe the greatest value to our community lies in our wonderful and accessible public lands.  Let’s not go chasing ‘fools gold.’

Dorothy Burdette
June Lake resident