County wants New Era Mine money

Butte County, which not too long ago was legally partnered with the outfit operating the New Era Mine east of Butte College, is now going after that outfit’s money. On Tuesday (April 27), the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to seek the forfeiture of $264,411 in financial assurance put up by North Continent Land & Timber and begin the process of reclaiming the mine site. Last October, Superior Court Judge Stephen Benson ruled the county had approved the mine illegally and ordered it shut down.

Robert Kilroy, a Nevada attorney representing North Continent, insisted the mine belonged to the landowner, Ron Logan, not North Continent and had not been abandoned and therefore North Continent was not responsible for reclaiming the site. When County Counsel Bruce Alpert said, essentially, that Kilroy was wrong, the board quickly settled the matter by voting. North Continent now has 60 days to come up with a reclamation plan. If not, the county will use the financial assurance money to do the job itself. The goal is to have the site cleaned up before next winter.