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Legislative and Regulatory Update
February 2000 by Scott Harn
The 30-day extension to the public comment period ends Feb. 3, 2000. Comments may be sent to: Planning Regulations, PO Box 7669, Missoula, MT, 59807. Fax (406) 329-302l. Email: planreg/wojcaetfsfs.fed.us or visit their internet website at http://www.fs.fed.uS/forumlnepa/rule.
(2013 Note: This contact information is thirteen years old and may no longer be valid.)
In comments filed recently regarding this issue, NMA reminded the agency that while it draws its general rule-making authority from several existing laws and regulations, this does not mean that "authority is unconstrained." NMA stated that the scoping process is "flawed" and urged that it be redone.
• Endangered Species Decision Delayed.
Riverton, WY(AP)—The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has postponed a decision on whether to grant
Endangered Species Act protection to a flower found only on a few acres in Fremont County.
The agency had set a deadline for a decision on the desert yellowhead, but then said more time would be needed.
The Bureau of Land Management first needs to release a plan for managing the plant's habitat on Beaver Rim, said Mike Long, Fish and Wildlife Service field supervisor. "We want to see what protective measures they have in place," he said.
If the plan sufficiently removes or reduces threats to the plant, Endangered Species Act protection will not be necessary, he said. The Fish and Wildlife Service should have a better idea next month of when it can issue a final decision, he said.
A perennial herb in the sunflower family, the desert yellowhead was discovered in 1990. About 11,000 plants were counted in 1998 on its known range of about 10 acres.
The BLM banned hard mineral surface mining on 3,759 acres around the plant's habitat last summer to create a study area and a buffer zone.
As part of the same action, the land cannot be part of a land exchange or sale, and ranchers have been asked not to develop water holes or place salt licks near the plant population.
• 43 CFR Part 3800—Mining Claims Under the General Mining Laws: Surface Management-Supplemental proposed rule: reopening of comment period on environmental impact statement.
The Bureau of Land Management reopened the comment period on the surface management proposed rule and the associated draft environmental impact statement. The comment period will be closing on February 23, 2000. Web address: www.blm.gov/nhp/news/regulatory/index.htm
Western Mining Artifact Collectors Show
A year of work and preparation has come and gone as the Western Mining Artifact Show was held this past June 29th at the Miners Foundry in Nevada City, California. It was three days of fun and adventure delighting in the glory of the golden days of California gold mining of long ago.
Mineralized Faults and Contacts in the Search for Gold
Fault zones and rock contacts are important because the vast majority of gold and silver deposits, as well as those of many other metals, are formed by hot, mineralized water solutions.Group Sues Feds Over New Nat'l Monuments
Several Arizona lawmakers and Utah ranchers filed suit against the federal government over the creation of a national monument in northern Arizona.
Mining Districts in Montana Get Organized
Those miners present immediately recognized the benefits of becoming members of MMAC and joined up on the spot. I spent some time answering a few questions, and then the miners took over.
Drywashing Rules Clarified
Carson Culp, Assistant Director of Minerals, Realty and Resource Protection for BLM, sent out an internal memorandum to all state BLM directors to clarify rules pertaining to gas-powered drywashers.
Prospecting for Diamonds in Kimberlite
Kimberlite is very difficult for geologists to find, let alone prospectors and rock hounds. This is because kimberlite is rarely exposed on the surface and few people know how to identify the rock.
Today's MSHA
We all know that it was never Congress’ intent to regulate gold panners and other individual mine operators through MSHA. In fact, I believe the concept of owner-operated mines with no employees was so strange a concept to the lawmakers that they never even thought there would be a need for such an exemption.
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The Bawl Mill
• Clinton Declares Three More National Monuments
• McCain Derides Clinton Forest Policy
• Foreigners Lure Mining Partners
• Pacific Island Gov'ts Focus on Undersea Mining
• Options Narrowed for Managing Chugach National Forest
• Company Notes
• Diamond Fever
• Gold in Jasperoid
• Underground Geologic Mapping
• New Quarry Regulations in West Virginia
• Ash Fork Calm After Explosives Theft
• Picks & Pans: Mining in Ghana
• Little Rocky Mountains, Montana
• Collector Reaches New Lows to Find Bottles
• Chinese Camp, California and the Tong War of 1856
• Millie's Tailings
• Visionaries, Scoundrels, and Gamblers
• Executive Defends Special Mill Site Exemption
• Chasing the Ghosts of Forty-Niners
• Washoe County Balks at Black Rock Desert Plan
• State's Only Gold Mine Processes Last Precious Ore
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
• Looking Back
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