Learn more: http://pulitzercenter.org/projects/ro...
Pulitzer Center grantees Dimiter Kenarov and Nadia Shira Cohen traveled to the Rosia Montana region of Romania, where plans are underway to open the biggest open-pit gold and silver mine in Europe. One of the oldest mining sites in the world, Rosia Montana village offers archeologists and historians valuable insights into its 2,000-year mining tradition. Should the mining plans be approved, the surrounding mountains and nearby valley will be transformed into four gigantic mining pits and a dam holding cyanide-laced tailings, which could lead to a bigger environmental liability than the toxic sludge in Hungary in case of design failure. The mining debate has polarized Rosia Montana that no compromise seems possible in the near future.
Dimiter Kenarov and Nadia Shira Cohen wade through the hidden toxic waste in European Union's newer member states, where EU's high environmental standards are still very difficult to enforce.
This report is part of Pulitzer Center-sponsored project "Toxic Europe" (http://bit.ly/zHMUdw).
