RENO, Nev. (AP) — Despite opposition by residents, a Storey County panel has recommended plans by a mining company to haul truckloads of ore on a winding state highway frequented by tourists.
The county planning commission voted 4-2 vote on Thursday to endorse Comstock Mining Inc.’s request to use State Route 342 in conjunction with its open pit mine operation near Virginia City. The commission is expected to take final action on the request in August.
Comstock Mining has said it plans to use a mile-long stretch of the highway near Gold Hill for truck traffic between the mine and its processing site for no more than six months. The plan allows seven trucks to make 14 roundtrips per hour, 10 hours a day, five days a week.
Residents pledged to continue the fight, saying the trucks will pose a safety hazard and impede tourism in the historic Comstock mining district. The Comstock Residents Association said in a statement that the proposal would mean a “fully loaded big rig will enter the public highway every few minutes” and could endanger public safety.
Austin Osborne, the county’s senior planner, told The Associated Press that the county has no choice but to approve the plans because it has no jurisdiction over state highways.
He said the county is imposing conditions on the mining company, including a ban on the use of the highway on weekends and holidays, as well as limiting the highway’s use to between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays.
Comstock Mining also will be required to report back to the county every three months on whether it has complied or not with the requirements, he added.
“They say they want to be a good neighbor and this is a chance to prove it,” he said. “We don’t want anything dealing with detours or anything to discourage tourists from driving the highway.”
