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Legislative And Regulatory Update
June 2008 by Staff
Even though they continue to be hunted at the rate of 300-500 per year, government biologists estimate the polar bear population has climbed significantly in recent decades to around 25,000 bears.
“There aren’t just a few more bears. There are a hell of a lot more bears,” said Canadian government biologist Mitch Taylor.
It remains to be seen how much of a negative influence the listing will have on mining, but the listing will surely have ramifications for energy, specifically, as a tool for environmentalists to prevent energy development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other areas in or around their habitat.
According to Interior Secretary Kempthorne, the listing will provide no greater protections than are already afforded the polar bear under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
• Forest Service trying to close off access
The Forest Service is continuing their assault on public land users.
In November 2005, the Forest Service issued a Travel Management Rule directing each forest to designate roads, trails and areas open to off-highway vehicles (OHVs) and to publish a map of open routes. After publication, use of non-designated routes would become illegal.
One of the first forests to request public comments was the Eldorado National Forest. Public Lands for the People (PLP) was one group that sent in extensive comments regarding the government’s duty to honor access to mining claims, RS2477 rights-of-way, and other rights guaranteed under the 1872 Mining Law.
The Eldorado National Forest announced their list of road closures in early April, which included placing over 1,000 miles of roads and trails off limits. There was no mention of access to mining claims, honoring RS2477 roads or the 1872 Mining Law.
PLP requested that forest officials provide a list of effected mining claim holders they contacted in regard to the closures. The Forest Service replied that there were no mining claims present. PLP subsequently contacted the Bureau of Land Management and obtained their list of valid mining claims in the Eldorado National Forest. BLM confirmed over 460 mining claims exist in the effected area.
PLP has retained an attorney for an appeal of these road closures and others that should be made public as Travel Management Plans are completed. If you are a mining claim holder in a National Forest, or you feel that you may be affected by these closures, please contact PLP President Jerry Hobbs at (909) 889-3039. PLP is looking to add effected parties to their planned lawsuit against the Forest Service.
PLP is a non-profit organization and they need your tax-deductible contributions to continue the fight. More information is available on their website at www.plp2.org.
PLP has already filed an appeal in this case along with a notice of intent to sue.
Dredging Alternative: High Banking
The hope was that a bit of the gold from that famous old pocket mine had worked its way down the slope of the hill and into the gravels Pat and his crew were planning to mine.
Gold Prospecting for Better or Worse: Lesson Learned
I have a slight mental disorder. It causes frequent lapses in common sense, good judgment and bouts of high fever—gold fever.
Financing by the Crowd
While a great many questions remain unanswered, there is little doubt that a new financing option for small-scale mining operations, “crowdfunding,” is growing as a viable and legitimate funding source.
Coprolite—A Prospector's Tale
Gold nuggets come in all forms, but I never expected that dinosaur nuggets would too, and at a decent price.
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MMAC Update
This is the third trip MMAC has made to DC this year, so some of the congressional staff members are gaining a better understanding of the current problems miners face and how MMAC-assisted Mining Districts can alleviate those problems.
ICMJ Elected Prospecting Magazine of 2002
ICMJ honored with prestigious award.
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