While additional funding for the Bridgeport Covered Bridge project will not be in the new state budget, there’s better news for Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park. An Assembly budget subcommitte has approved 352-thousand dollars for a solar panel project….

click to listen to Ranger Youngren

State Parks Supervising Ranger Dan Youngren says that will also save in fuel costs…

click to listen to Ranger Youngren

In 2011, as a result of a severe state budget deficit, the state proposed closing a number of parks, including Malakoff Diggins. Malakoff was not considered enough of a revenue generator to offset its operating costs. A primary cost was about 70-thousand dollars a year to run generator power for lighting and security systems that protect about 100-thousand artifacts in the park’s buildings. Nevada County Supervisor Hank Weston says that also avoids the much more expensive alternative of connecting to the PG and E grid, which would cost around 2-million dollars.