Due to the extensive violations of the Buckhorn gold mine’s Clean Water Act permit, the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) issued an Administrative Order (AO) to Kinross Gold Corporation/Crown Resources Corporation (Crown/Kinross) on July 19, 2016. The AO requires an action plan to capture and treat contaminants emanating from the Buckhorn Mine.
On July 30, 2015, the Pollution Control Hearings Board (PCHB) denied Crown Resources/Kinross’ appeal of the NPDES (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System) permit, thereby affirming that the water surrounding the Buckhorn Mine must be left as clean as it was before the mine was developed. The Buckhorn Mine continues to discharge pollutants into the environment in violation of their waste discharge permit…
On May 28, 2014, instead of announcing the new exploration proposal, Kinross included it in a water right change application in a public notice. Very few people are likely to look up the legal coordinates provided in the public notice, nor recognize a new exploration project under the guise of a water rights request…
In this Highland Wonders presentation, Scott Fitkin gave an overview of our local amphibian species, including their identifying characteristics, life history and presumed distribution.
He touched on the crucial role they play in our ecosystems as secondary consumers in the food web, and as indicators of environmental change. This event provided information about the natural history, amazing adaptations, and ecological status of our region’s frogs, salamanders and other amphibians.
The April 11th, 2014, Highland Wonders event on Wild Mushrooms and Fungi Ecology was dedicated to OHA volunteer Marge McCormick, who recently passed away after a battle with cancer. We appreciate everything Marge did to help further OHA’s work in the highlands, and she will be greatly missed.
On Friday, May 4th, Idie Ulsh provided a window into the life of butterflies, with “Wings of Beauty,” a fast moving, fun program on butterflies.