Elko County Seeks Inquiry by State Legislature into Mine Case Elko County Seeks Inquiry by Legislature Into Alleged Lawbreaking by Bureaucrats Elko Daily Free Press Elko County Commissioners last week passed resolutions calling for a legislative review of the state's mitigation process and a moratorium on new mine bonding rules. Independence Mining Co. But Commissioner Llee Chapman objected to the resolution.
Somebody has to have been wronged.
Chapman said the money paid was just part of doing business and since the mining company did not complain, then the grand jury should not have investigated. We can run our business better than you can. Public lands activist Ed Presley said Chapman could not say any different because Barrick is under the same kind of governmental pressure as any other mining company. Gene Gustin, a member of the county's Public Lands Use Advisory Commission, said the violation did not require someone to complain about the action. Commissioner Roberta Skelton said the mitigation payment was a form of extortion.