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Legislative and Regulatory Update
July 2008 by Scott Harn
Lois Wolk, the California State Representative who previously introduced a bill to eliminate suction gold dredging in the state but was halted by Governor Schwarzenegger’s veto, is up to her old tricks.
Jerry Hobbs, president of Public Lands for the People (PLP), reported that Wolk attached a rider to the state budget bill. The rider would call for the state to conduct a two-year study of suction dredging and prohibit suction dredging during the study period.
Hobbs reported that his organization is looking at a couple of options to try and remove the rider. The New 49’ers prospecting club is also working on this issue.
The budget bill has already passed out of the Senate Budget Committee, but it will likely go through many rewrites because the state is looking at severe budget cuts.
• Travel Management Plans
Hobbs and PLP attorney David Young also attended several meetings regarding the Forest Service’s Travel Management Plan in the Eldorado National Forest.
As reported in last month’s issue, PLP filed an appeal along with a notice of intent to sue the Forest Service because of the Eldorado National Forest’s refusal to honor the 1872 Mining Law and access for mining when it decided to close off numerous historic routes across public lands.
Hobbs stated that the meetings went as expected—Forest Service officials were ignorant of the laws and rights pertaining to mining. He stated that at least one claimant has already been denied access to his mining claims. A lawsuit is forthcoming to force the Forest Service to recognize the rights of miners. Unfortunately these issues may need to be addressed with each National Forest as they release their individual Travel Management Plans.
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Gold out of auqa regia
Melman on Gold & Silver
...controversy and animosity seem to be steadily increasing, quite possibly to the benefit of our precious metals as gold is now resting comfortably above $1,300—the highest level in more than two years as of mid-February.
Melman on Gold & Silver
As laws become cluttered, difficult to understand and almost impossible to enforce both effectively and economically, they are bound to drag down industry and commerce inside a welter of complications.
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DOI Computers Back Online
You may have noticed that the Department of Interior’s (DOI) computers were disconnected for about 10 days during mid-March. The disconnected Internet service prevented miners and prospectors from accessing numerous online files, including all Bureau of Land Management websites and mining claim systems.
Silver City Prospecting Adventures
I got to Silver City late on a Friday night (OK, it was 2:30am Saturday morning), and the first few snowflakes began to fall as I pulled into the campsite.
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