NEW MINING THREAT in the Bodie Hills
Bodie Hills Bonanza and Volunteer Stewardship Weekend a Success
August 14, 2019Surrounded by White Lupine on Bodie Mountain Hike July 13th 2019
August 15, 2019
There is a NEW MINING THREAT in the Bodie Hills! We recently learned that another Canadian company, Radius Gold, is proposing mining exploration in the Bodie Hills adjacent to the Bodie Wilderness Study Area. Mining and exploration in the Hills would have numerous significant impacts on open space, connectivity, water quality in Rough Creek, and sensitive wildlife. The Bi-State Sage Grouse currently proposed for listing with US Fish and Wildlife Service, the pronghorn, raptors and several species of lagomorphs (rabbit family) all rely on the remote Bodie Hills for habitat.
Recently, the company submitted a “pre-application” to Mono County for exploration in the Bodie Hills near the Dry Lakes Plateau and Rough Creek drainage. To view the proposal to Mono County click here.
Radius is also proposing another exploratory drilling and mining project in the eastern Bodie Hills on the Nevada side near Bald Peak. For more information about that proposal click here.
Rough Creek is historic Lahontan Cutthroat Trout spawning habitat and an area identified for restoration. The Bodie Hills include a diversity of plants and animals, water and cultural resources, and viewsheds that would be affected if a project were to move forward. We have high concerns for this proposal and will post more information as it becomes available. There will be a future public meeting before the Mono County Land Development Technical Advisory Committee and interested parties can sign up for their notices and agendas here and enter your email under “subscribe”.
4 Comments
If or when a map or maps of the specific areas being proposed for mining by Radius Gold (including proposed access routes) are available, please post them and/or indicate where they may be available to the public. I hope that the Washoe and Paiute people in the bi-state region are being solicited for partnership in opposing these proposed activities which will impact TNKG.
Hi- Here is a link to the pre-application with some maps https://monocounty.ca.gov/sites/default/files/fileattachments/land_development_technical_advisory_committee_ldtac/meeting/30133/3a_preapplication_form_radius_gold_bald_peak_project.pdfand the USFS NV maps are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=55213 (maps are at the back of those packets). There is lots of questions about their access plans but in the “pre-application” they describe wanting to drive up crews via 4 x 4 road up Bodie Creek Rd (which is completely washed out from NV and 9 mile Ranch staging area) and a rd that goes up to Dry Lakes. Both roads are questionable to impassable currently. Helicopter use would be required for drill rigs and equipment.
I have communicated with the Bridgeport Indian Colony but have not developed contacts at other tribes except in Lone Pine. If you know of anyone that has good relationships beyond Friends of the Inyo I am open to connections.
Is the Native American name for Bodie Hills or Rough Creek known?
Yes, we just recently learned the four Tribes that surround the Bodie Hills, the Bridgeport Indian Colony, the Mono Lake Kutzadika’a, the Walker River Paiute Tribe, and the Yerington Paiute Tribe, call this place
Tuvogatudu, which means “where the teachings abide.”