Mariposa County seeks public input on mining strategic plan

Mariposa County officials are inviting residents and stakeholders to take part in a series of community engagement sessions as the county develops a Mining Strategic Plan, the first sector-specific effort under its Economic Development Initiative.

The planning effort comes as three mines are currently in the exploration phase in Mariposa County. County officials said establishing a strategic framework now will help guide the county’s involvement in future mining activity and allow the public to help identify opportunities, needs and challenges.

Community input gathered during the sessions will be used to inform the plan as the county considers the economic, infrastructure, housing and funding issues connected to possible future mining activity.

Upcoming Sessions

The first meetings are scheduled for Friday, Sept. 26. A session will be held at 11 a.m. in Hornitos at Stagg Hall, followed by a 2 p.m. session for the Mt. Bullion and Bear Valley areas at the Mariposa-Yosemite Airport Conference Room.

A virtual follow-up session for Hornitos, Mt. Bullion and Bear Valley is scheduled for 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5.

A countywide workshop focused on infrastructure, housing and funding will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7, at the Government Center and virtually.

Additional sessions for tribal representatives, agencies, operators and other stakeholders are also planned during the week of Oct. 5, with details to be announced.

How to Participate

Residents who are unable to attend a community engagement session may still provide input by completing the county’s online survey.

More information about Mariposa County’s Economic Development Initiative is available at https://www.mariposacounty.gov/3056/Economic-Development.

The survey is available at https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx.