All Articles
Legislative and Regulatory Update
March 2008 by Scott Harn
As we previously reported, the House passed the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act (HR 2262) on November 1, 2007. HR 2262 would impose an 8 percent gross royalty on new mines, a 4 percent gross royalty on existing mines, give regulatory agencies the authority to reject proposed mines, and authorize citizen lawsuits, among other things.
The Senate held its first hearing on the bill on January 24, 2008. Stakeholders from both sides presented their views. It’s unclear at this juncture whether the Senate will start with HR 2262 and make changes or draft their own version from scratch.
• Washington Gold & Fish rules
The debate continues in Washington over gold mining regulations. After countless meetings between stakeholders, the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife tried to force severe restrictions on gold miners and prospectors without the science to back up their position. The miners felt betrayed.
WDFW based their new restrictions on water temperature without citing scientific evidence to support their conclusions. As expected, the miners were upset with the agency and made their opinions known at several public hearings. The remaining scheduled hearings were canceled and everything has ground to a halt.
The Habitat division of WDFW issued a statement that acknowledged there was "significant discontent about the proposed rules not only among members of the prospecting community, but also among those prospectors that sat on the workgroup.
Prospectors have expressed significant dissatisfaction with proposed work windows, numerous specific work requirements, and in the rule development process itself. Because of this, Habitat Program is delaying presentation of the proposed rules to the Commission until outstanding issues can be resolved."
You can view the proposed rules by clicking on Pending Rules & Regulations under the Resources tab on our website. (Note: The prosposed rules were removed from the WDFW website. For the current rules, see wdfw.wa.gov/habitat/goldfish/)
In the meantime, constructive comments will still be accepted. Comments can be mailed to Lisa Wood, Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, 600 Capitol Way N, Olympia, WA 98501-1092; faxed to Lisa Wood at (360) 902-2946; or emailed to SEPADesk@dfw.wa.gov
© ICMJ's Prospecting and Mining Journal, CMJ Inc.
Additional articles that might interest you...
Gemstones in Wyoming—Part I
December 2005
Gemstones are timeless treasures of beauty. The extraordinary and satiated colors of many gemstones enhance their aesthetic beauty. Gems have been sought for personal adornment since the beginning of time and such minerals...
Gemstones are timeless treasures of beauty. The extraordinary and satiated colors of many gemstones enhance their aesthetic beauty. Gems have been sought for personal adornment since the beginning of time and such minerals...
The Bawl Mill
March 2016
• Do as I say, not as I do...
• By the numbers...
• Do as I say, not as I do...
• By the numbers...
2005 California State Gold Panning Championships
October 2005
Each year this annual event is staged to determine just who is the best of the best, and each year this event becomes larger. This time one hundred ninety contestants decided to prove just how good they were.
Each year this annual event is staged to determine just who is the best of the best, and each year this event becomes larger. This time one hundred ninety contestants decided to prove just how good they were.
Prospecting Adventures—Pure Gold
June 2008
I often wonder if I would have felt the same about gold prospecting if my father had introduced me to it at a young age. Would I have the same passion and fascination that I do now? How much further along the learning curve would I be if...
I often wonder if I would have felt the same about gold prospecting if my father had introduced me to it at a young age. Would I have the same passion and fascination that I do now? How much further along the learning curve would I be if...
New Rules For Taxing Pass-Through Income
March 2018
...the tax rate for an incorporated, small-scale mine or mining-related business will be reduced from the former 35 percent rate to 21 percent for the 2018 tax year and thereafter.
Placer Mining in Canada's Yukon Territory
February 2010
Frank Taylor’s family has been mining in the same area of the Yukon Territory since 1935. He’s been working his current placer operation on Duncan Creek near Mayo since 1975.
Frank Taylor’s family has been mining in the same area of the Yukon Territory since 1935. He’s been working his current placer operation on Duncan Creek near Mayo since 1975.
Suit Filed to Stop Mining in Northern California
January 2005
The Western Mining Action Project, representing the Karuk Tribe of California, has filed suit to stop mining on the Salmon, Klamath and Scott Rivers, and their tributaries in Northern California.
The Western Mining Action Project, representing the Karuk Tribe of California, has filed suit to stop mining on the Salmon, Klamath and Scott Rivers, and their tributaries in Northern California.
Subscription Required:
The Bawl Mill
• Ask The Experts — How have fellow dredgers modified their dredges in order to retain fine gold?
• Ask The Experts — Could you please include the stock symbol in "Mining Stock Quotes"?
• Gryphon Gold and the Borealis Project
• A Modern Day Prospector’s Story
• Conducting Research To Find New Gold Deposits
• New Tax Considerations For Your Mining Business
• Searching for Gold at Paradise Valley, Alaska
• The Carson City Mint
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
Free:
