PLP Update

October 2018 by Scott Harn

Public Lands for the People joined fourteen other public interest groups in supporting Alaska’s proposed Pebble Mine and sent a letter to EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler, requesting he fix a dangerous precedent set by the Obama administration.

Under former President Obama, the EPA issued a preemptive veto of the Pebble Mine before a permit application was even made by the companies exploring the project’s potential. Under the former president’s policy, the US Army Corps of Engineers is precluded from issuing any permits.

The letter asks Acting Administrator Wheeler to revoke the preemptive veto issued under section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act to remove this dangerous precedent.

The online version of this article contains a link to the actual letter.

Plans are underway to return to Washington, DC, in late November or early December to continue seeking regulatory relief for small-scale miners. Priorities will include meeting with the EPA regarding suction gold dredging permitting and with the Forest Service regarding revisions to CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) 228A regulations related to mining and access on public lands. Additional meetings will be scheduled with those members of Congress who have already expressed an interest in sponsoring or cosponsoring PLP’s proposed “Small Miner Amendments.”

In September, PLP announced they intend to settle the lawsuits against the State of California regarding suction gold dredging rather than continue the current appeal. PLP stated they continue to receive contributions from individuals and small prospecting clubs, but some of the major contributors dropped their monetary support. While the PLP board believes they have a “good chance of knocking out the 2012 Environmental Impact Report and the state’s prohibitive regulations,” incoming contributions have been insufficient to cover the costs. The group has established relationships with top-level members of the Trump Administration and many influential members of Congress; they will continue to focus on making the necessary regulatory changes at the federal level to address issues related to suction gold dredging, lack of access or restricted access, and more.

by Scott Harn

PLP Update

January 2019

We are heading into 2019 with a cautiously optimistic view. We feel we are very close to obtaining regulatory relief for miners, and believe this NDAA cycle will prove fruitful.

PLP Update

April 2020

I want to stress that this is just the first step to fixing many of the regulatory issues we identified in discussions with the current administration. There will be plenty more to come.

PLP Update

June 2018

…I’ll be heading back to Washington, DC, on June 4 with Clark Pearson of PLP for nearly a week of meetings with the Mine Safety and Health Administration, US Forest Service, Environmental Protection Agency, and numerous members of Congress in both the House and Senate.

PLP Update

May 2019

Public Lands for the People has established an online petition. We would like to gather thousands of signatures from across the country to show members of Congress that their constituents are supporting this legislation.

What is a Mining Right?

April 2015
A mining right is a powerful and not commonly understood concept that is all too often watered down by agency regulatory interference...

MMAC & PLP Update

July 2016
…what I’d like to focus on in this update is the assistance they provided to a suction gold dredger in Idaho being harassed by an environmental group.

MMAC & PLP Update

September 2016
We definitely got their undivided attention with our presentations. As a direct result of our presentations, the Desert Advisory Council recommended a Memorandum of Understanding be put together between the council and the Rand Mining District. This MOU was recently completed. 

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