Legislation & Regulation
Judge Tosses Lawsuit Against Tucson-Area Mine
March 2012 by Associated Press
A federal judge has tossed a lawsuit filed by opponents of a Tucson-area mine that had accused the US Forest Service of violating two federal laws in its handling of the mine issue.Forest Service v. Michael & Linda Backlund
On Tuesday morning, August 26, 2010, my clients Michael and Linda Backlund were forced to plead guilty to a charge of violating 36 CFR §261.10(b), which criminalizes maintaining a residence on Forest Service land without authorization “when such authorization is required.” This is a new regulation pursuant to which virtually anything, even a tent, is an unlawful “residence” unless authorized in advance.
Legislative and Regulatory Update
• Increase in claim fees
• Impact of recent elections
• Current suction gold dredging status in California
• Parks in Southern California
Trip to “The Swamp” on Behalf of Small Miners
Besides the EPA issue, our major priority is to work on the proposed amendment to the National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act (S 145), a bill proposed in the Senate by US Senator Dean Heller (R-Nevada).
Legislative and Regulatory Update
- EPA declines to impose additional regulations and financial requirements on hardrock miners
- “Baffling” ruling in suction gold dredging court case
Lawsuit Update From the New 49'ers
Many of you are aware that we have been engaged in litigation with anti-mining activists that have been attacking us through the Karuk Tribe of California since 2003. It all started with their lawsuit against the US Forest Service (USFS), challenging that District Rangers do not have the authority to allow small-scale mining activities under a Notice of Intent (NOI) when the Ranger concludes that the mining activity is not likely to create a substantial surface disturbance.
Addressing EPA Overreach: What Dredgers Need to Know
Legislative and Regulatory Update
• Court says ESA does not apply in some cases
• Comments needed for proposed critical habitat in several Western states
• EPA still trying to rewrite the Clean Water Act
• Enough already!
• Now is the time to act
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The Bawl Mill
• Ask the Experts: Set up a small portable operation or send the ore to a custom mill?
• Ask the Experts: Who manufactures the diagonal vibrating table?
• Ask the Experts: Do "corners" need to be in place on the ground for a claim to be valid?
• Ask the Experts: Tantalite in an African nation -- is it worth pursuing?
• Legislative and Regulatory Update
• Following Clues to a Hidden Gold Deposit
• How to Melt Your Own Gold
• Salted Mining Properties—How to Properly Evaluate a Claim
• Fine Gold Panning Without Using Mercury
• Australia Produces World's Largest Gold Coin
• Fells Flat Gold
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• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
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Revised Dredge Regulations Published for California—Pure Garbage
• Xmet Aims for One Million Ounces
