Environmentalists and opponents of the Engels Superior Copper mine have achieved a victory in Plumas, at least for the time being. US Copper Corp, the mining company seeking to resume operations at the site outside of Greenville, has officially withdrawn its Verified Request for Determination of Vested Rights for the Engels-Superior Mines application, which was initially submitted on April 25th of the previous year.
This decision follows the findings of the county’s legal consultants, who concluded that there is insufficient evidence to support a determination of vested rights in favor of US Copper Corp. Throughout this process, the community has predominantly expressed opposition to the proposed mining operation, with 84.1% of comments reflecting this sentiment. Concerns raised encompass procedural and social issues, as well as anxieties regarding water safety, quality of life, and environmental conservation.
US Copper Corp had plans for a significant open-pit copper mine within the Moonlight-Superior Copper Project. Although obtaining vested rights could have simplified the approval process by exempting the company from certain regulations, the application was withdrawn. Nonetheless, the company still has options for potential future actions.
