The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My Public Portal About2018.10.14 F Coriell FW_ Community AgreementFrom:Anette Spickard To:BessieJo Wagner Subject:FW: Community Agreement Date:Monday, October 15, 2018 8:20:56 AM fyi From: Fred Coriell <fredcoriell@gmail.com> Sent: Sunday, October 14, 2018 8:29 PM To: Jackie Aymon <jaymon@mccall.id.us> Cc: Anette Spickard <aspickard@mccall.id.us>; Colby Nielsen <cnielsen@mccall.id.us>; Bob Giles <bgiles@mccall.id.us>; Thomas Sowers <tsowers@mccall.id.us>; Melanie Holmes <mholmes@mccall.id.us> Subject: Re: Community Agreement Dear Mayor Aymon- Thank you for the response. I understand McCall's form of government and greatly appreciate what Council does as it takes an incredible amount of time and energy as an unpaid civic duty. I also realize that this issue is likely a big thorn in everyone's side in lieu of everything else going on in McCall. This mining proposal has been difficult for me ever since I realized that Stephen Quin was spearheading the proponent company. He has a legacy in Northwestern British Columbia and the Yukon with Capstone, Sherwood, Mercator Minerals, Kutcho Copper, and Imperial Metals. These include troubles that the Minto Mine had with water discharges into the Yukon River from improper engineering initially, and now it is closed ahead of schedule leaving several hundred people out of work, and mining operations in the headwaters of the Stikine, Skeena, and Nass Rivers which directly impact lands sacred to the Tahltan First Nations. All I am asking is that you proceed with caution and diligence with any contractural agreements with Midas Gold Corp. There is tremendous gray area in how Canadian mining companies operate. And with respect to the US laws, the recent 20-year moratorium by Secretary Zinke on hard rock mining in the headwaters of the Yellowstone River represents that political will and influence can supersede entrenched doctrine. After all, law has a tendency to be derivative and instrumental, and sometimes all too political. It would be discouraging to see special interests overwhelm another "rural community" with promises of economic prosperity. I also encourage the City to reach out to Charles Wilkinson, Emeritus Professor of Law at UC Boulder, as a potential speaker at either of the next two Stibnite Lecture Series events. Sincerely, Fred Coriell On Thu, Oct 11, 2018 at 4:07 PM Jackie Aymon <jaymon@mccall.id.us> wrote: Dear Fred, Thank you so much for your thoughtful email. I appreciate all of your comments. I do want to clarify the statement regarding my signature on the letter in July 2017. The letter of support by Council was only for the restoration piece and not for the project in general. Council was not comfortable with broad support and our focus was purposely narrow. I signed the letter of support for restoration on behalf of Council. I do not sign letters, with the possible exception of thank you notes, happy birthday and congratulations, without the blessing of and support of Council. McCall's form of government is a Council, Manager form of government. This is unique in Idaho with only 2 other cities operating under this mode, Lewiston and Twin Falls. All other cities in Idaho have a strong mayor form of government. In our case, the I was elected as a council member and appointed mayor by the council. I have one voice and one vote and cannot sign letters of support without the consent of council. Thank you for your research, comments and suggestions. Kindest Regards, Jackie J Aymon Mayor, City of McCall From: Fred Coriell <fredcoriell@gmail.com> Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2018 8:14:20 AM To: Anette Spickard; Colby Nielsen; Jackie Aymon; Bob Giles; Thomas Sowers; Melanie Holmes Subject: Community Agreement Dear City Manager and Council Members- I'd like to say thank you for hosting Tuesday’s event at the North Fork Lodge. I think the large turnout (for a city sponsored event) shows that community members are concerned about what is coming towards us in the next 3-5 years regarding the Stibnite Project. Some of the impacts will likely be insulated from McCall due to our proximity to the project and the proposed access route, but I cannot stress enough how the impacts outside the NEPA area of interest must be addressed and planned for on a region wide scale. And, I strongly disagree with the gentlemen from the Department of Commerce that a large-scale mining operation is a beneficial way to diversify this area's economic profile. The point made by Jamie Laidlaw- illuminating the concern that with an already stressed labor and housing market a lot of business owners in this community are concerned that the mine will further degrade this situation- is real and plays into how our community envisions itself over the next couple decades. The 1872 Mining Law is archaic in many regards and may not accurately fit the narrative of the modern West the same way it did the expansionist West 140 years ago. The law's main premise is in direct conflict with the realities of 2018. This area is rich in "natural capital" and has an economy based strongly on tourism and recreation. There is tremendous economic value and long-term equity in the natural resources of this region. Two studies, one authored by Eli Fenichel (Associate Professor at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies) called "Measuring the Value of Groundwater and Other Forms of Natural Capital", the other by the David Suzuki Foundation called "Measuring the Return on Howe Sounds Ecosystem Assets" illustrate that there is an important and under-recognized economic balance between extraction and conservation land use. Both studies conclude that greater value is retained in the long-term through conservation. Gold is a finite resource. According to the World Gold Council once extracted and processed, it is 85% likely to be hoarded by someone, or some entity, and 15% likely to be put to an industrial or technologic use. This point should be taken gravely as it illustrates a human tendency to amass wealth despite other’s misfortune. Ultimately this tendency will have a wide variety of negative effects on the area, at our (those of us that live, raise families, work, create this community) long-term expense. The monetary compensation for the loss is not easily quantifiable, but the two studies above are a good place to begin looking into estimating a dollar amount. A body of literature exists in 2018 pertaining to the valuation of "natural capital" and the mechanisms to integrate that value into the more tangible economy. I also hope that you take seriously Resolution NP19-016 adopted by the Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee. Their treaties predate any Mining Laws of the United States and their stake in this proposal far outweighs our own. Perhaps Mayor Aymon should reconsider her letter stating the City of McCall’s support for Midas Gold. There are many narratives to this proposal, Midas Gold’s being only one of them. The city must consider and empathize with the other narratives, including one that says private investment of reclamation work through extraction industry profits may not be the best alternative due to the expanded impacts and long-term risks of such an operation. My input as to how the Community Agreement should be negotiated is as follows— --$10-$15 million divided amongst the signatories is woefully inadequate to offset the impacts that his industry will have on the area. An agreement worth $40-$50 million may begin to cover the needs of the signatories to the agreement. Consider that tthere are no royalties paid by the mining company for the resources it extracts. Tax dollars and trickle down economics do not substitute royalty payments. The communities need to be aggressive in this bargaining as the majority of Midas' proposal impacts previously undisturbed public land. --The main benefit of this funding mechanism is that it can be used as a long-term insurance policy for the communities in the region during the mining process. The fund should be managed in such a way to retain a very large portion for potential future needs such as in- perpetuity water treatment for Yellow Pine, South Fork Salmon land owners, or Riggins, or financial assistance for restoration projects due to mining activities. --The signatories should agree that the fund wouldn’t necessarily be dispensed evenly throughout all the communities. Should a situation arise that places one of the communities in a state of great need due to impacts from mining operations the majority of the fund may need to be distributed to that community. --Specific language should be provided so that the Stibnite Advisory Council is held accountable to the community at large to mitigate from it becoming a "special interest" group, approving projects without a long-term vision, or projects that support only the interests of that group. --A separate agreement not associated with the Stibnite Foundation should be negotiated to ensure open communication with the mining company during operations. Specific language must be used to ensure a means of communication during any potential “care and maintenance” periods, including open access to environmental testing and sight stability inspections. --The signatories should be extremely diligent before accepting an agreement that links the signatories to stock shares of the mining company. Should there ever be an issue with this project and the EPA and/or other agency is tracking down a "responsible party" the net will be quite broad. The liability of being a shareholder of a gold mining company might be an unacceptable risk for a signatory to assume. Sincerely, Fred Coriell -- Fred Coriell Renewable Renovations Certified Passive House Consultant and Builder PO Box 1168 McCall, ID 83638 208-315-3630 -- Fred Coriell Renewable Renovations Certified Passive House Builder PO Box 1168 McCall, ID 83638 208-315-3630