Our federal government continues to throw roadblocks up throughout the Western states to keep miners and other public lands users off public lands.
In Southern California, the West Mojave Route Network Project travel management planning effort covers 9.24 million acres. Federal agencies are working on a supplemental Environmental Impact Statement that will “form the framework for route designation in the West Mojave area.”
The planning area encompasses parts of San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Kern, Inyo and Riverside counties, including many areas that are rich in minerals and metals.
Public comments are due by January 25, 2016, and may be emailed to cawemopa@blm.gov or mailed to:
BLM has proposed over 10 million acres be withdrawn from mineral entry and other uses in multiple Western states as critical habitat for the Greater Sage-grouse. In fact, these lands have already been segregated for two years while the Secretary of the Interior claims she is collecting public comments before she decides whether or not to withdraw the areas from new mining claims for the next 20 years.
The Fish and Wildlife Service already issued a decision of “not warranted” on the Greater Sage-grouse as a threatened or endangered species, but BLM went ahead with the mineral withdrawal to accomplish the same goal of locking up the lands.
BLM states that valid, existing rights will be honored, but this provides no protection for those miners who are still in the exploration or development stage, nor does it allow for the discovery of additional valuable mineral and metal deposits.
America’s premier source of strategic REEs were regulated out of business and 300 employees lost their jobs. For almost fifteen years America has been dependent on the communist Chinese cartel.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been attempting to extend their authority and intimidate miners and other public land users for decades.Suction gold dredgers are no exception, and we want to highlight a recent example of how to deal with this federal overreach.
November 2013 • Comment deadlines approaching for frog listings and habitat
• EPA seeks more control
• Comments due in Washington
• California dredging moratorium
• PLF sues to delist polar bear
April 2011 This ruling comes at an opportune time, just as suction dredge miners are dealing with new proposed regulations in several western states. Be sure to cite this case when you provide comments on the regulations!
America’s premier source of strategic REEs were regulated out of business and 300 employees lost their jobs. For almost fifteen years America has been dependent on the communist Chinese cartel.
