What is at Risk?
The town of Mammoth Lakes and much of the Eastern Sierra relies on the tourism industry. Tourism generates over $840 million in direct spending per year. Over 5,000 jobs (in a town of 8,000 people) are supported by visitor spending. From anglers to skiers, hikers to OHV’ers, avid hot springers to campers, the Long Valley provides endless opportunity for outdoor activities. Mining would disrupt the beauty of the Sierra that draws tourists to the region. Exploratory drilling and an open pit mine will destroy not only the scenic value of the Long Valley but jeopardize recreational opportunities that our economy relies on. KORE is a foreign company that will import employees, provide short term operations, and provide few jobs if any to locals.
Economic Impacts
Hot Creek Geologic Site and the Long Valley contain both fragile and unique ecosystems. The region is home to significant habitat for the Bi-State Sage Grouse, a candidate species for the Endangered Species List. The Bi-State Sage Grouse has been in steady decline and any introduction of mining operations will disrupt their habitat. The area around Hot Creek specifically is a breeding ground for the bird and risk of impact is so high all mining operations must be halted for several months out of the year. Beyond the Sage Grouse, there are 30 other special status plant and animal species within the Long Valley. These include the Pygmy Rabbit and the Owens Tui Chub. The survival and recovery of these species depends upon habitat preservation and restoration, not the introduction of exploratory drilling and mining.
Ecosystem Disruption
Water Quality and Availability
Water availability has long been an issue in the Owens Valley. KORE’s report states an open pit mine will consume up to 600 gallons of water per minute. Much of the water in the Long Valley is already allocated to Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and precipitation levels have declined with climate changes as well; our watershed cannot support KORE’s proposed water consumption without having severe impacts on our ecosystems, local water supply, and LA’s drinking water supply.
In general, the headwaters of the Owens and other tributaries such as Hot Creek will suffer under any mining operations. KORE has proposed to use cyanide heap leaching to extract gold- a process that has been outlawed in Mono County. Cyanide solutions, wastewater, and runoff will all negatively impact our watershed and water quality. Furthermore, aquatic species will suffer from mining operations which, in turn, will impact both our ecosystems as a whole and an economy that relies on anglers.