Lawsuit Against Teichert-Shifler Mining Project
The Teichert Mining Company filed a deficient Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Teichert-Shifler project. This EIR was approved by the County in January 2022. Our lawsuit challenges the certification of the EIR by the County and the 30-year mining entitlements granted by the County to the Teichert project by focusing on the following points:
Methyl Mercury Toxicity – Previous studies in identical mines in the same area have proven that methyl mercury, an extremely potent neurotoxin, is produced in the wet impoundment pits created by the mining. This toxin may accumulate to toxic levels in fish, potentially causing serious health problems if these fish are ingested by wildlife or humans. But the Teichert company only proposes that it will “study the problem” when it inevitably occurs in the future but offers no guarantees of a solution.
Loss of Prime Farmland – Previous mining projects have shown that the so-called “reclaimed” farmland has never been brought back to pre-mining productive standards in terms of crop yields expected from prime farmland. At best the “reclaimed” farmland has resulted in smaller yields of lower-quality crops. But in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, the Teichert Mining company still insists that its farmland reclamation processes result in land capable of producing equivalent yields and proposes no changes from past failures.
Unknown Adverse Impacts on Groundwater Levels – At present, many wells near the mining site have already recently gone dry and the impacts of huge water use by the mining operations have not been properly analyzed. Nor has the Teichert Mining Company guaranteed adequate protections to ensure critical groundwater sources are available for local domestic and farming needs. As Yolo County Supervisor Gary Sandy stated, it is “reckless” to approve a thirsty mining project that will divert large amounts of water for the next 30 years without carefully studying all of the impacts beforehand.
Unmitigated Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollution Emissions – The greenhouse gases and priority pollutants emitted by Teichert Mining company’s massive diesel-fueled earth-moving equipment and the tens of thousands of diesel truck trips needed to transport the finished mined products, much to other counties, is not properly calculated. Yolo County gets the unmitigated impacts while other counties reap the benefits of finished product delivered to them.
Fundraising Efforts
Help protect Yolo County farmland by supporting Yolo Land & Water Defense’s lawsuit and making a tax-deductible donation!
Please consider making a tax-deductible donation of any amount.
1) By Credit Card- To make an online tax-deductible contribution through our legal partner, the Sierra Club, click on the online donation link here (https://www.mightycause.com/story/Yolanogroupsc)
2) By Check – To make a tax-deductible contribution by check, make your check payable to The Sierra Club Foundation and mail to:
Yolo Land and Water Defense
2736 Brentwood Pl.
Davis CA 95618.
Checks made payable to Yolo Land and Water Defense will be gratefully received but are not tax deductible. These can be mailed to the same address.
Yolo Land & Water Defense can be contacted at: YoloLandWaterDefense@gmail.com
Thank you!
Ann Liu
Charles Salocks
Alessa Johns
Nancy Price
Nancy F. Lea
on behalf of Yolo Land & Water Defense