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1. Failure by the Mining Companies to Begin Methyl Mercury Monitoring in a Timely Manner - Methyl mercury monitoring is required by the Surface Mining Reclamation Ordinance to begin at every mine as soon as a wet pit is created and navigable by boat. There are some pits that have been in existence for years (e.g Granite Capay) that have not ever had annual methyl mercury monitoring reported.

Question - Are all impoundment pits currently being monitored as required by the Reclamation Ordinance? If not, why are they not being monitored and will when such monitoring begin?

2. Regarding Timing of Annual Methyl Mercury Monitoring Reports submitted to the County by the Mining Companies - The Yolo County Surface Mining Reclamation Ordinance requires annual monitoring of methyl mercury in fish between September and November for mines with active impoundment pits containing water and that such reports be submitted to the County within 6 months of sampling – or no later than from March to May of the following year depending on when samples were taken.. The last monitoring reports were submitted in late 2022 for samples taken in the years 2020 and 2021. The last methyl mercury reporting reports were thus from a minimum of about 6 months to almost 2 years late as otherwise required by the Surface mining Reclamation Ordinance. No monitoring reports have yet been submitted for 2022 and 2023 and are similarly from about 6 months to almost 2 years late as otherwise required. The monitoring report for 2024 is due, at latest, from 2 months to 5 months depending on when the samples were taken.

Question - When will the mining companies submit the overdue reports for these years and what will the County do to ensure the reports are filed in a timely manner in the future?

3. Regarding Ongoing Failure by the Mining Companies to Implement and Report Expanded Lake Monitoring in a Timely Manner – Similar to deadlines for reporting annual monitoring results for methyl mercury in fish, expanded monitoring results must be be submitted to the County within 6 months of such measurements. No reports have yet been submitted for 2022, 2023, and 2024 and  the mining companies are thus not compliant with the Surface Mining Reclamation Ordinance.

Question - When will the mining companies submit the overdue Expanded Monitoring reports for these years and what will the County do to ensure the reports are filed in a timely manner in the future?

4. Regarding Ongoing Failure by the Mining Companies to Implement Lake Management Plans in a Timely Manner – The County’s aquatic Biologist stated in the 2020 annual monitoring report that preparation of lake management plans were indicated for a number of mines based on the expanded water and pit sediment testing results previously reported. Such lake management plans are required to be implemented within 3 years of completion of expanded testing – or by the end of 2023 at the latest. However, no such plans have even yet been submitted to the County for review much less implemented. The aquatic biologist also stated in the 2021 monitoring results report that additional lake management plans were indicated for other mines based on the further expanded analysis reported. Such additional lake management plans should have been implemented by the end of last year but none have been even submitted for review.

Question - When will the mining companies implement the overdue lake management plans?

5. Regarding Failure by Yolo County to Determine Baseline Methyl Mercury Levels Every Ten Years – The Reclamation Ordinance requires the County to determine the ambient or “baseline” fish mercury levels in Cache Creek “every ten (10) years in years ending in 0”. The last reported baseline measurements were taken in 2011 and should have been taken in 2020. They are now overdue by about 4 years.