MEA Mena Resources

Emgold Mining Corporation (TSX VENTURE:EMR)(PINK SHEETS:EGMCF)(FRANKFURT:EML)
("Emgold" or the "Company")  provides the following update on its Idaho-Maryland
Project ("Project"), located in Grass Valley, California. In follow up to the
Company's March 7, 2011 press release, Emgold, through its 100 percent owned
subsidiary Idaho-Maryland Mining Corporation ("IMMC"), has commenced the filing
process for its 2011 Revised Permit Application with the City of Grass Valley
("City"). The City is the Lead Agency and responsible for completing the
Environmental Impact Report ("EIR") for the Idaho-Maryland Project, as part of
the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") process.


The Idaho-Maryland Mine was once the second largest underground gold mine in
California and is reported to have produced 2.4 million ounces of gold at an
average recovered grade of 0.43 ounce per ton. The mine contains a NI 43-101
compliant measured and indicated resource of 472,000 ounces of gold at a grade
of 0.28 ounces per ton and an inferred resource of 1,002,000 ounces of gold at a
grade of 0.39 ounce per ton, estimated as of March 1, 2007 (see Emgold's NI
43-101 compliant Technical Report titled "Idaho-Maryland Mine Project" dated
December 8, 2009 at www.emgold.com or, filed under the Company's profile at
www.sedar.com). A detailed summary of the Idaho-Maryland Project is also
available at www.emgold.com and www.idaho-maryland.com.


Permitting History

Emgold is in the advanced stage of permitting the re-opening of the
Idaho-Maryland Mine and is completing an EIR for the Project through its 100%
owned subsidiary, IMMC. Since 2003 and in accordance with CEQA, IMMC has
submitted to the City conceptual applications followed by the original 2005
Project Permit Applications. The City then completed a Master Environmental
Assessment ("MEA") for the Project in 2006. Subsequently, Emgold completed 2007
Revised Project Permit Applications to take into account community input
obtained through the MEA process. The City and its consultant, Environmental
Science Associates (ESA) then completed an Initial Study for the Project in 2007
and then prepared the Draft EIR, which was completed in October 2008. The public
comment period for the Draft EIR was completed in January 2009. The Draft EIR
concluded that, of the 15 areas evaluated, the Company was successfully able to
avoid or mitigate potential environmental impacts of the Project in all areas,
but one (air quality). This is a major accomplishment for any mining and/or
industrial project, regardless of the jurisdiction.


After reviewing the Draft EIR, meeting with various government agencies to
review their comments, reviewing public comments from the Draft EIR obtained
during the public comment period (letters and public meetings), and obtaining
input from the local community through IMMC's community outreach program, the
Company elected in mid-2009 to modify and clarify the project design contained
in the 2007 Project Permit Applications to further mitigate and/or eliminate
potential environmental impacts of the Project identified in the Draft EIR.
Subsequently IMMC commenced technical work to modify and support changes to its
2007 Project Description. 


During each phase of the permitting process IMMC has participated in local
information sessions and held numerous consultation meetings in order to address
stakeholder concerns and seek community input with its submissions to local,
state and federal agencies.


Current Activity

On April 1st, IMMC submitted a check for US$25,000 to allow the City to commence
the review of its 2011 Revised Permit Applications to determine their
completeness. On April 8th, IMMC submitted drafts of the Revised Executive
Summary, Introduction, and Project Description. Upon receipt of comments on the
aforementioned submittals, IMMC plans to submit drafts of the Revised Formal
Development Review Application and Mineral Project Application to the City by
April 20th. Three other applications, the General Plan Amendment, Pre-zone, and
Annexation Applications, that make up the remaining part of the Permit
Applications for the Idaho-Maryland Project, have been deemed by the City to
need no further revisions. IMMC's goal is to have the 2011 Revised Permit
Applications complete and accepted by the City at the end of April, 2011. A
similar review process was completed with the City for its original project
applications and for its 2007 Revised Permit Application. 


Based on the modifications and clarifications IMMC has included in the Revised
Project Description, IMMC anticipates that a Revised Draft EIR will be required
and has been proceeding on this basis since mid-2009. The Revised Draft EIR will
ensure the modifications and clarifications in the Revised Project Description
are fully analyzed in the EIR. The Revised Draft EIR will also ensure that the
public has the opportunity to comment on the revised Project as part of the CEQA
process. In its letter to the City on April 1st, IMMC has requested that a
Revised Draft EIR be completed and that the City expedite the decision on the
requirement for IMMC to complete a Revised Draft EIR. 


Key Modifications and Clarifications to the Project Description

The 2011 Project Description modifications and clarifications reflect the goal
of Emgold and IMMC to ensure the Idaho-Maryland Mine Project is a socially and
environmentally responsible project that will benefit the City, Nevada County,
the local communities, and our shareholders. As the air quality analysis in the
2008 Draft EIR identified certain impacts to be significant or potentially
significant, the primary focus of the modifications in the Revised Project
Description was to lessen potential air quality impacts from oxides of nitrogen,
random organic gases, respirable dust (PM10), and greenhouse gas emissions. 


IMMC has completed significant work on air quality modeling for the Project and
alternatives to address the air quality impacts outlined in the Draft EIR.
Modeling done by IMMC's air quality experts has significantly reduced oxides of
nitrogen, reactive organic gases, and respirable particulate matter from
previous estimates contained in the Draft EIR. IMMC's proposed measures taken to
accomplish these reductions include, but are not limited to, use of a Traffic
Management Plan (e.g., van-pooling and car-pooling) to reduce employee traffic
trips and associated air emissions, use of low NOX burners for combustion of
natural gas, use of emulsion explosives, use of higher tier engines for off road
underground and surface equipment, and use of shaft hoisting instead of trucking
for material handling of ore and development rock.


To lessen potential impacts to the South Fork of Wolf Creek, IMMC has eliminated
the water treatment plant and the water discharge to South Fork of Wolf Creek.
Instead, a raw water line will be constructed under East Bennett Road.
Dewatering of historic mine workings will occur at the New Brunswick site, with
raw water transferred through the raw water line under East Bennett Road to the
Idaho-Maryland site mine water detention pond. Any mine water discharged from
the mine water detention pond at the Idaho-Maryland site will go through a water
treatment plant to be located there, with discharge going to Wolf Creek instead
of South Folk Wolf Creek.


Residents in the vicinity of the mine have expressed concerns that their
domestic wells may be impacted by mine dewatering. IMMC has included in the
project provision of an Nevada Irrigation District (NID) trunk line along East
Bennett Road and feeder lines on roads proximate to East Bennett Road, to have
an alternative supply of potable water available to hook up to residences should
they be impacted. IMMC has provided a Domestic Well Level Monitoring Program and
Domestic Well Mitigation Program which outline how domestic wells will be
monitored through the life of the project and how impacts to domestic wells will
be mitigated, should they occur.


IMMC has also provided additional information on the clean up of historic mine
tailings remaining from past mining activities (prior to 1956) on the
Idaho-Maryland site. This clean up was not included in the analysis completed by
the City in the 2008 EIR and IMMC wants to ensure the positive aspects of this
clean up are properly analyzed as part of the Project.


Additional modifications amd clarifications are contained in the Revised Project
Description. Subsequent to finalization and acceptance of the 2011 Revised
Permit Applications, the application documents will be made available to the
public at www.idaho-maryland.com, www.cityofgrassvalley.com, and at the public
libraries located in Grass Valley. This should occur in early May. 


Expected Path to Move Forward with the EIR Process 

Subsequent to acceptance of the 2011 Revised Permit Applications by the City, it
is expected that the City's consultant, ESA, will prepare a budget and schedule
to complete the EIR process (Revised Draft EIR and Final EIR). Upon review of
this budget and schedule by the City and IMMC, a decision will be made to
proceed with the work or alternatively obtain competitive bids to complete the
process. Once a decision is made to move forward, the City and IMMC will
complete a revised Reimbursement Agreement. As part of the CEQA process, IMMC
(as the applicant) is responsible for reimbursing the City and any its
consultants for any costs to complete the EIR. 


The City and its consultants will prepare the Revised Draft EIR. The Revised
Draft EIR will be published and a public comment period will then commence with
public meetings held through the City of Grass Valley Planning Commission.
Subsequent to the public comment period, the Final EIR will be prepared by the
City and its consultants. The Grass Valley Planning Commission will review the
Final EIR and entitlements for the Project, make a determination if the
documents are complete and adequate, and forward the package to the Grass Valley
City Council. The City Council will be responsible for Certification of the
Final EIR, approving the entitlements, and approving a Conditional Use Permit
for the Project. Additional public meetings will be held when the Project
reaches City Council. It is anticipated that the Final EIR will be completed in
late 2011 or early 2012. 


David Watkinson, President and CEO of Emgold stated, "We have been working hard
over the last year and a half and believe that the revisions to the Project will
eliminate, reduce, or mitigate a number of potential impacts identified in the
Draft EIR. While air quality was identified as a significant issue in the Draft
EIR, the significance, in the case of nitrogen oxides, is a result of Nevada
County being a non-attainment area for ozone (nitrogen oxides are a precursor to
ozone). Nevada County has high ozone levels due to air that blows into the
Sierra Nevada Mountains from the San Francisco and Sacramento area, not due to
local emissions. As such, the significance level the mine has to meet is much
lower than in an area that is not a non-attainment zone. We expect to meet the
nitrogen oxide significance level for several project alternatives that will be
analyzed in the EIR. We are also required to deal with AB32 legislation in
California, in the CEQA process, even though the state has yet to adopt many
provisions of this law, including defining of 'significant levels'. We look
forward to completion of the Revised Draft EIR and Final EIR with these changes
incorporated." 


For more information about Emgold, the Idaho-Maryland Gold Project and the
Buckskin Rawhide, Stewart, and Rozan Properties, please visit www.emgold.com. 


On behalf of the Board of Directors

David G. Watkinson, P.Eng., President & CEO

This news release may include certain statements that may be deemed
"forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than
statements of historical facts, that address the mineral resource estimates, are
forward-looking statements and are based on a number of assumptions, including
but not limited to the assumptions underlying the estimated resources outlined
in the Technical Report are and remain valid, that the demand for and price of
gold remains constant or increases and does not experience a material decline,
and that the Company will be able to raise the capital required to hold and
develop the Idaho-Maryland Project. Although the Company believes the
expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on
reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance
and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the
forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those in forward-looking statements include changes the price of
gold, the price of the company's shares, the costs of labour, equipment and
other costs associated with exploration, development and mining operations,
exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and
financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are
cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and
actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the
forward-looking statements. For more information on the Company, Investors
should review the Company's filings that are available at www.sedar.com or the
Company's website at www.emgold.com.


U.S. 20-F Registration: 000-51411

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