Policy Updates
If you think you missed KMMT-FM’s John DeMaria’s interview with Friends of the Inyo’s Executive Director Wendy Schneider on Friday, you didn’t! Listen to a recording of it here to learn about FOI’s plans for 2024, and how you can be a part of Eastern Sierra land and water protection by giving to our year-end fundraising campaign. Happy listening…And if you like what you hear, happy sharing!
The California Fish and Game Commission voted today (Oct. 11, 2023) to permanently protect Inyo rock daisies as a threatened species under the California Endangered Species Act.“This vote is a huge victory for these special wildflowers,” said botanist Maria Jesus, whose field surveys document the plant’s current range. “With the threat of a massive gold mine looming on the horizon, this rare daisy now has help from the state of California to prevent it from sliding into extinction.”
Conglomerate Mesa needs our protection! Canadian company K2 Gold’s “modified” mining proposal could impact up to 15 acres of pristine lands that are sacred to Paiute-Shoshone and Timbisha-Shoshone peoples in Southern Inyo County, and a haven for thriving Joshua Trees and other threatened plants and animals. Join us Labor Day for a “Protect Rally” at Spainhower Park in Lone Pine, as we tell K2 Gold we want them to go home! Click on the image at left to download our flier. Help us share this information with others! Want to help us make posters for the rally? Come to Friends…
In case you missed it last Friday, August 18, please take a listen to Friends of the Inyo’s Executive Director, Wendy Schneider, and Campaign Organizer – No Hot Creek Mine, Emily Markstein, discuss our campaign to oppose Canadian company KORE Mining’s exploratory drilling for gold at Hot Creek with KMMT FM’s Arts, Culture & Entertainment Show Host John DeMaria. Happy listening…and if you like what you hear, happy sharing!
Your comments in 2021 against K2 Gold’s exploratory drilling operations at Conglomerate Mesa in Southern Inyo County caused the BLM’s Ridgecrest Field Office to consider requiring an Environmental Impact Statement. Now you have an opportunity, during the Open Comment Period from Aug. 16 to Oct. 16, to provide feedback on what the EIS should include. Check out our Action Alert to learn how to submit your comments to help #ProtectConglomerateMesa.