Oakland, CA — This Earth Day, the Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment is proud to announce the recipient of the 2025 Anthony Grassroots Environmental Prize, a $1,000 award presented annually to recognize exceptional grassroots environmental stewardship and activism in California. This year’s Anthony Prize is awarded to Community Environmental Advocates Foundation (CEA).
This all-volunteer citizen advocacy group has been a leading force for environmental protection in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Since 2020, CEA Foundation has spearheaded a landmark campaign to stop the reopening of the Idaho-Maryland gold mine in Grass Valley, CA. Their tireless organizing stopped the mine project which threatened local air and water quality, public health, and 75 acres of forest and riparian habitat.
Like many of California’s estimated 47,000 abandoned mines, the Idaho-Maryland site carries a long legacy of contamination. Its Centennial Site was once so polluted with arsenic, lead, and mercury that it was considered for Superfund status. The proposed plan included pumping and discharging treated groundwater into the South Fork of Wolf Creek—already stressed by drought—and resuming mining on the ancestral homeland of the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe, a community forcibly displaced during the Gold Rush.
CEA led a strategic, research-based campaign grounded in coalition-building and deep community engagement. In February 2024, after years of organizing and public pressure, the Nevada County Board of Supervisors officially denied the mine’s permit application. Grass Valley had spoken—and CEA helped amplify its voice.
This victory is a model of grassroots power in action. CEA:
- Built strong coalitions with local partners, including South Yuba River Citizens League, the Sierra Club, and Wolf Creek Community Alliance;
- Launched the MineWatch website (www.minewatchnc.org) to educate and mobilize residents;
- Gathered over 5,500 petition signatures, gained support of 250 businesses, and delivered more than 2,500 postcards and emailed letters opposing the mine;
- Submitted detailed legal and technical comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR);
- Turned out more than 800 people to two days of public hearings;
- Equipped neighbors with the knowledge and confidence to speak up for their land, water, and health.
“Of the 800+ people who showed up, more than 100 felt empowered to speak at the Planning Commission meeting—armed with facts and confidence,” said J Ralph Silberstein of CEAF. “We worked hand-in-hand with the community to ensure everyone had the tools to be heard. Our grassroots education turned concern into action. This community understands the risks—and they made it clear: the mine is not welcome here.”
“The impacts of the proposed mine were staggering — threats to over 300 private wells, destruction of forested habitat, toxic runoff into nearby watersheds, and increased air pollution in an already vulnerable region,” said Aurora Heying, Program Manager of the Rose Foundation’s Grassroots Fund. “CEA’s research-driven campaign brought these dangers to light and empowered the community to take a stand. We’ve been proud to support them as they turned information into collective action.”
Aiko Pandorf, Interim Executive Director of the Rose Foundation, added: “CEA stands as a powerful reminder of what’s possible when concerned individuals come together, get organized, and refuse to back down. They took on a well-funded, resource-rich mining company—and won. Their victory proves that when communities unite around shared values and solid information, they can overcome even the most formidable opponents. This is exactly why we are honored to recognize groups like CEA through the Anthony Grassroots Environment Prize.”
The Anthony Grassroots Environmental Prize, established in 1999 by environmental activist Juliette Anthony, honors volunteer-powered, community-led advocacy that protects California’s environment and advances environmental justice. CEAF joins a proud legacy of changemakers—from tribal leaders to neighborhood coalitions—who demonstrate the power of grassroots action to protect what matters most.
Please join us this Earth Day in celebrating Community Environmental Advocates Foundation and all the defenders of community and environment working toward a more just and sustainable future.
