Legislation & Regulation
Legislative and Regulatory Update
May 2020 by Scott Harn
• Congress deals with other priorities
With the coronavirus being the main focus of attention at both the state and federal level, there was no significant mining legislation to report on over the past month. We did, however, receive word from Trump administration officials that several of our proposed regulatory changes/improvements are moving toward publication in the Federal Register and this is very welcome news. Take a look at the PLP Update in this issue for more on this topic.
• Alaska miners get relief on state lands
The State of Alaska legislature passed SB 155, which provides clarity for exploration and mining rights on state lands, allows miners a clear path to cure filing errors, and provides clear definitions of annual labor and what activities satisfy annual labor requirements.
Oregon Miners Take DEQ to Court, Again
Since 2005, a group representing a handful of Oregon and Washington mining organizations, centered around the Eastern Oregon Mining Association (EOMA) and the Waldo Mining District (WMD), have been actively fighting the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) over their then new “700PM Suction Dredge Mining Permit.”
Legislative and Regulatory Update
• Pendley nomination withdrawn but will remain BLM director for now
• Comments needed for Midas Gold project in Idaho
Mining Organizations Unite To Petition For Rule Change
The petition seeks specific changes to existing Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management regulations to restore the intent of Congress and federal preemption.
Modern-Day Claim Jumping
We soon found that our discovery post and other claim markers were gone and replaced with new posts and a notice of location with an earlier date than had been on our notice of location.
Legislative and Regulatory Update
- Administration issues proposals to fix mining access and permitting
- Online “webinar” and request for comments for proposed Forest Service NEPA revisions
Legislative and Regulatory Update
• Extremist groups are at it again
• No more sales tax on precious metals in Tennessee
Annual Claim Filings Due
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The Bawl Mill
• Ask The Experts - What does a prospector look for when seeking ores?
• Ask The Experts - Is a detector any good at discriminating pyrite or chalcopyrite in ferrous-reject mode?
• Ask The Experts - Does the Journal know if any gold mining has been shut down over the Covid-19 virus?
• Ask The Experts - Is this a promising assay?
• Ask The Experts - How do you utilize magnets in your prospecting equipment?
• Ask The Experts - Is using hydrogen peroxide a good indicator for PGMs?
• A Note from the Editor
• Going Over Old Ground With Newer Technology
• Hard Rock 101: Breaking Rock—Part I
• Tips and Tricks
• Prospecting in the Age of Covid-19
• Sharing Gold Fever with a Friend
• Panning on North Fork American Yields Good Gold
• Gold Prospecting for Better or Worse: Dum-Dum Dodges a Boom-Boom
• 'Wormholes'—Reckless Adventure
• All About Lead Minerals, Silver and Gold
• Melman on Gold & Silver
• Mining Stock Quotes and Mineral & Metal Prices
Free:
PLP Update: Regulatory Relief On The Way
• It's Time to Get the Heck Out of China
