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.
MMAC Update
Within these districts, some of the roads and trails have been reopened for access, critical habitat designations have been scaled back, and a few Mining Districts were completely removed from proposed withdrawals.
PLP Update
…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
Face-to-face meetings in Washington, DC, with Trump administration officials and members of Congress are still on hold due to the coronavirus, but Public Lands for the People is continuing to work on mining-related issues via phone and email.
PLP Update
PLP is also concluding its funding and review of a scientific study which names the suction dredge as the preeminent tool for reclaiming American waterways to counter atmospheric mercury impacts coming from China.
Mining Districts: A Short Review of Legal Authorities
Mining Districts are the private regulatory authority granted by Congress recognized to regulate the mineral lands held by the United States and for the disposal to citizens of the United States, by means of development and potentially perfected by patent.
MMAC & PLP Update
Keep in mind there are specific steps that must be taken to get your traditional mining district organized if it has fallen into disarray.
MMAC & PLP Update
May 2016PLP had been attempting to raise funds to hire a lobbyist. The excessive cost made it prohibitive, so Clark and Joe packed up their bags and headed off to make this trip themselves.
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