Legislation & Regulation
Legislative and Regulatory Update
April 2011 by Scott Harn
• Oregon dredging bill defeated• California bill would exempt dredgers from permitting
• Possible ESA listing
• Washington State tries to impose more fees on miners
Uniting The Small Miners
Have you ever wondered what it is going to take to stop the insanity of politicians and environmental groups from taking away our rights?
SB 838 and the Salem Witch Hunt
In every sense, this was a witch hunt with a preconceived agenda to heavily restrict or outright prohibit most small-scale mining in Oregon.
PLP Update
All 28 groups listed agree that Section 402 of the Clean Water Act does not apply and no dredge miner should be asking a state or federal agency for such a permit.
MMAC & PLP Update
We definitely got their undivided attention with our presentations. As a direct result of our presentations, the Desert Advisory Council recommended a Memorandum of Understanding be put together between the council and the Rand Mining District. This MOU was recently completed.
PLP Update
I want to stress that this is just the first step to fixing many of the regulatory issues we identified in discussions with the current administration. There will be plenty more to come.
Mining Organizations Unite To Petition For Rule Change
The petition seeks specific changes to existing Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management regulations to restore the intent of Congress and federal preemption.
Detecting Clay Seams
Because the old timers were so good at locating the better paying deposits—most of them along clay seams in this particular area—it makes good sense to try and locate these clay lines at old mining sites.
Subscription Required:
The Bawl Mill
• Mining Claims—What to Know Before You File
• Prospecting Underground: Use Caution
• Small-Scale Concentrating and Recovery Methods
• 5th Circuit Ruling May Benefit Miners
• Indicator Minerals for Gold & Silver
• Mud Men: Pocket Miners of Southwest Oregon Part III
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
• Silver Mining Returning to Texas
Free:
A New Look at Old Mines
• Proposed Regulations for California Suction Dredging