Thacker Pass Concerned Citizens meeting in Orovada NV on 4/27/2021. The meeting lasted 2’ 53”. About half way through, Paul Cienfuegos asked Lithium Nevada Corp’s Tim Crowley a question. This is the exchange:

Paul Cienfuegos, Founding Director, Community Rights US:

It appears to me that there’s overwhelming opposition to having any mine at all on either end of Thacker Pass – either community west or east. And it’s just curious to me that that doesn’t seem to have any impact at all on the plans to build a mine at Thacker Pass. So how does that work for you guys as a corporation when there’s overwhelming opposition, but it doesn’t seem to impact your decision to mine here?

Tim Crowley, Vice President of Government Affairs & Community Relations, Lithium Nevada Corporation:

The support for our mine is absolutely overwhelming. And it comes from…

PC:

That’s simply not accurate.

TC:

Well… I think you… It is the input that we’re getting. And despite that, the deed and the benefits of mining this thing responsibly and putting in these products into our system that the world demands, but in particular the United States demands, merits this project.

PC:

I’m talking about the people who live here.

TC:

We have supporters. In fact, we know from canvassing this area and sponsoring the Build NV program that there are many people right from this community who are looking forward to this project specifically…. I’ll give you an example. Last Tuesday, Maria and I met with a woman who ranches not far from our project, and she and her mother are running this ranch, and they don’t have enough resources to make this thing go without having her husband on the road traveling. She sees our mine as an opportunity for her to get some supplemental income to bring her husband home so he can live and work here, and work at the mine. So that her daughter who is in Reno right now can come back to this area. Her daughter’s daughter – her granddaughter – she wants to see her every day. And she has a son who’s also in Nevada and she wants him to come back. She’s looking at jobs for her entire family, including her. And we hear that time and time again. It’s a way for families to stay together in this community, where generations are being lost.

PC:

I guess what I’m saying is – if the polling showed overwhelming opposition, would that have any impact? If there was an actual reputable poll that showed overwhelming opposition to the mine? You’re giving me anecdotal stories. I’m just curious if there is actual overwhelming opposition in the two valleys.

TC:

Our concern for your concerns is genuine. And we have….

PB:

But you would still mine, right?

TC:

Yeah, we’re moving forward with this project. This project is…

PC:

Even if there was overwhelming opposition in polls.

TC:

Well… if there are issues that are raised like there are today, we are problem solvers, and we’re gonna work to mitigate those problems…

PC:

You’re not really answering the question.

TC:

No, I answered it directly. I answered it directly.

PC:

But you would ignore overwhelming opposition, is what you’re saying. If that was correct.

TC:

I would not ignore the issues raised by you. If you’re saying we just simply don’t want this in our backyard, then I can only give you my sincerest apologies. This is where the ore body is. But we are absolutely gonna work with you, directly, to see how we can mitigate and address the concerns that you raise.

PC:

Well… you’re not really addressing the…

[Tim Crowley then called on the next person to ask him a question.]