What's At Stake

Together we can Protect and Restore Clear Lake

Perhaps, centuries ago, Clear Lake earned its name from sparkling pristine waters; however, this is no longer the case. The smell of rot and contamination is present year-round, and in some areas can be overpowering. The water is no longer clear. Scientific authorities will provide any one of dozens of answers for the cause of these clear signs of pollution, but the one and true answer is clear.

As a result of mining in the surrounding Clearlake area in the late 1800s and early 1900s, mercury and sulfur have been leeching into the lake with a devastating effect on the local food chain though the open mine as well as the tailings left at the side of the lake.  In addition, methylmercury, an even more toxic substance, has formed from a combination of mercury, organic material and sulfates in the lake.  The consensus is that long-term exposure to mercury and methylmercury can result in severe health problems - to all life forms. Exposure to these toxins can cause:

  • cancer
  • neurodevelopmental disorders in infants including cerebral palsy, deafness, and blindness
  • ADD & Autism
  • Alzheimer's and memory loss
  • mental retardation
  • emotional disturbance including depression and suicidal tendencies
  • autoimmune disorders
  • reproductive disorders

In 2002, the EPA recommended that the mercury levels in Clear Lake be reduced by 70% in order to meet recommended water quality objectives. Since that time, little has been done to reduce the mercury levels or stop the leaching of mercury at its source – the open pit mines at the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine

This is not a localized problem. Reports show that when it rains, the contaminated waters sweep into the Sacramento River and ultimately empty into the San Francisco Bay. This water system affects millions of people in California every day as well as countless others across the country who eat produce grown in our fertile soils.

What is being done?

The EPA has listed this area as a National Priority for the EPA Superfund. This will allow the Government of California to secure funding for capping the mine and cleaning the mercury and methylmercury out of Clear Lake. We have only to make it happen!

There are a variety of different interest groups wanting to clean up Clear Lake, each with a different idea about how to make it happen. It is our vision to bring these groups together under our common goal of cleaning up the Lake with the best technologies available.

Finally, we have begun production on a documentary highlighting the plight of Clear Lake and its population. Our vision is to use this documentary to spark awareness for this important issue and put pressure on our government to make the clean up of Clear Lake a priority.

What can be done to heal Clear Lake?

The Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine was listed as an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund Site in August 1990. This means that the EPA has allocated funds through the Superfund for completing the work to stop the mercury poisoning of Clear Lake, and yet little has been done over the last 2 decades. The public reports are clearly indicative that the governing agencies recognize a clear and present danger and now is the time to take action to clean up the Lake before the problem becomes a national disaster.

Help us to send a clear message to Governor Schwarzenegger that Californians will no longer stand idly by and wait for this clean up to occur. Demand that he sign an executive order authorizing this cleanup to begin today. Take action and find out how you can help.

Resources for learning more about the effects of Mercury and the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine:

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