PLP and Mining Districts
PLP Update
March 2021 by Scott Harn
The Public Lands for the People (PLP) board was finally able to get out and meet with miners and prospectors at the Quartzsite, Arizona Gold & Treasure Show in mid-February. With the majority of tradeshows and events cancelled recently due to the pandemic, they found the event was extremely well attended.
The group spent three days helping miners with access issues, teaching them how to politely and respectfully educate federal regulators and law enforcement officers, and how to win these issues in court if necessary. PLP was able to provide miners with copies of recent court cases that have been won by their members with support from PLP, including US v. McClure and US v. Lex (no special-use permit required), US v. Godfrey (discharge was not a pollutant), and People v. Osterbrink (no addition of a pollutant). (Each of these cases can be reviewed at publiclandsforthepeople.com under “Accomplishments.”)
PLP also summarized the five trips to meet with agency heads and legislators in Washington, DC in 2019, which I also attended, and explained why the only viable path to restore the rights of suction gold dredgers is through federal legislation.
While we continue to wait until in-person meetings are allowed again in DC, we will continue to work with our friends and associates in Washington to provide regulatory relief for miners and prospectors.
PLP Update: Regulatory Relief On The Way
Toward the end of this summer, we expect another Federal Register notice will be published that deals with Forest Service mining regulations.
PLP Update
We’ve heard from miners in Arizona about federal agencies closing off historic roads that provide access for miners, and we need your input.
PLP Update
We now have supporters who are well known and connected in Washington, DC, and who state they will assist us in bypassing lower level staffers and getting us face-to-face meetings with Senators.
PLP Update
In the meantime, I want to highlight some recent court cases won with the assistance of Public Lands for the People…
MMAC & PLP Update
Each separate Mining District is a federally recognized entity. There are huge advantages—picture yourself going to an oversight meeting where 2, 3, 4, or even more Mining District representatives have obtained voting positions on the board.
PLP and MMAC Update
The current administration is receptive; we believe the time is ripe to push for a return to reasonable regulations and to restore mining to a priority for public lands as long as some new crisis doesn’t take precedent.
PLP Update
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.
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