Whereas, the Nevada County Democratic Central Committee desires to oppose Rise Gold’s proposal to open the former Brunswick Mine, in Nevada County; and

Whereas, the CEO of Rise Gold, Ben Mossman, formally the CEO of Banks Island Gold, Ltd and the Yellow Giant Mine was found guilty of Environmental Management Act violations in British Columbia, polluting tribal waters, including 35 provincial and federal charges when officers found evidence that the company was dumping waste into the surrounding woods, creeks and wetland areas, which CEO Mossman failed to report to the regulatory authorities; and

Whereas, Banks Island Gold, Ltd and the Yellow Giant Mine operations went bankrupt and left Canadian citizens with the responsibility and cost for the clean-up; and

Whereas, Mossman is still facing federal charges and a trial in Canada, along with Dirk Meckers, Rise Gold’s Chief Geologist.  British Columbia’s Supreme Court ruled in October 2020 that both Mossman and Meckers must stand trial, a trial that has not yet been scheduled; and

Whereas, quoting from California Judge Jerome T. Newsome, said, “My experience as a U.S bankruptcy judge for 28 years leads me to believe that this company is destined for financial failure;” and

Whereas, evaluation of the Company’s SEC filings dated April 30, 2021 reflects only $1,534,934 in cash on hand and an accumulated deficit of $18,969,011, giving rise to serious concerns about the Company’s’ financial health and viability; and

Whereas, the potential negative environmental impacts of air, noise, water, private residential well loss and contamination, and the proposed 24-hour operations will severely harm the quality of life and property values- because mining operations and the trucking of mine materials are enormous and beyond the scope of what we believe the citizens of Nevada County can or should tolerate; and

Whereas, the proposal to open the mine has severely undercounted the number of private wells that will be impacted.  Latest number of impacted parcels in the estimate of local well professionals exceeds 800; and

Whereas, the potential economic losses to homeowners within the mineral rights area has been estimated to exceed $5 million in the value of their homes, with many homes being unsellable; and

Whereas, the jobs Rise Gold purports to be creating to stimulate the local economy will need to be filled by outside labor, as Nevada County no longer has a pool of trained underground miners; and

Whereas, Nevada County and California suffers from a severe housing shortage both in rental and sale properties, leaving imported workers unhoused locally; and

Now, Therefore, be it Resolved, that the above recitals are true and correct to the best of our knowledge and shall serve as findings of the Nevada County Democratic Central Committee.

Be it Further Resolved, that the Nevada County Democratic Central Committee calls upon the Nevada County Board of Supervisors to deny any and all permits for opening and operating the Brunswick/Idaho Maryland Mine,  and to protect the citizens of Nevada County from the potential losses and hardships this proposal will cause.

Be it Further Resolved, that the Nevada County Democratic Central Committee opposes the proposal to allow Rise Gold to open the Brunswick/Idaho Maryland Mine and further opposes Rise Gold to operate in Nevada County.

PASSED AND ADOPTED by the full membership of the Nevada County Democratic Central Committee at its meeting held on 18 November, 2021.