HOLLISTER • SAN BENITO COUNTY
A New SV Media publication
Friday, December 21, 2018
sanbenito.com • Vol. 145, No. 51 • $1
EPA orders cleanup at new Idria mercury mine site OHIO OWNERS ORDERED TO INVESTIGATE CONTAMINATION AT SUPERFUND SITE CLOSED IN ‘72 Barry Holtzclaw Managing Editor
Robert Eliason
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Dec. 13 that it has reached a settlement with Buckhorn Inc., ordering the Ohio company to study, then clean up mercury contamination at a federal Superfund site in the southeast corner of San Benito County. The initial investigation work is expected to take over two years to complete at a cost of approximately $2 million, according to the EPA. Under the Superfund law, Buckhorn will be responsible for all costs of the investigation and eventual cleanup of the New Idria Mercury Mine, which operated from 1854 to 1972. Contaminants from the mine site have been fouling San Carlos Creek and threatening the San Joaquin River watershed for decades. The New Idria Mercury Mine was added to the National Priorities List by the Obama administration in September 2011. “Under the Trump Administration, the Superfund program has re-emerged as a priority to fulfill the agency’s core mission of protecting human health and the environment,” ➝ Cleanup, 11
DOUBLE 15K Armando Rivera “32” wheels ahead of a cluster of runners during the Christmas Double Road Race in San Juan Bautista
on Saturday, Dec. 15. Featured: Quy Nguyen “25”, Luke Rankin “35”, and Iraj Zarrinnaal “42”.
Runs are winter fun
Robert Eliason
Runners of all ages, many wearing Santa Claus hats, lined up at the historic Mission in San Juan Bautista on Saturday, Dec. 15 to participate in the seventh annual Christmas Road Race. Double Racing is a two-stage running event that includes one longer stage, then a second stage with a halftime break in between. This year participants were offered a choice of six Double Running events including a Kids’ Cup Double race and a costumed Christmas Double 8K Runner.
TWO-STAGE Iraj Zarrinnaal “42”, left, edges ahead during the Double Race in San Juan Bautista on Saturday, Dec. 15. Featured: Armando Rivera “32” and Lidia Santos “36”.
Panetta had a role in Farm Bill PRESIDENT SAYS HE WILL SIGN FIVEYEAR PLAN IMPORTANT TO LOCAL FARMERS Barry Holtzclaw Managing Editor
Congressional approval of a new five-year Farm Bill on Dec. 12 that is headed to the President’s desk this week needed strong bipartisan
support, and agreement from House Republicans to drop proposed food-stamp work requirements. President Donald Trump hinted that he would sign the farm bill this week. Congressman Jimmy Panetta, a leader of a bipartisan efforts in Congress and a member of the House Agriculture Committee played a role in the outcome.
Panetta, whose 20th District includes San Benito and Monterey counties and half of the City of Gilroy, is a member of the House Agriculture Committee, where his influence will get a boost when the new Democratic majority of the U.S. House of Representatives is sworn in next month. Panetta said in a statement that “Passage of
the 2018 Farm Bill, with strong bipartisan support, fulfills a promise to our farmers, rural communities and neighbors who need assistance putting food on the table.” “As the proud representative of the Salad Bowl of the World, I have worked to create a Farm Bill that promotes the specialty crop and organic sectors, expands opportunities for
beginning farmers, invests in agricultural research, and increases access to nutritious fresh fruits and vegetables,” he said. Panetta said the final version of the bill did not include “harmful provisions that wo uld impact over 74,000 Central Coast recipients depending on nutrition ➝Farm bill, 11