Current, past and pending
Legislative and Regulatory Update
April 2015
• Positive bill passes House
• Anti-mining bill dies in Washington State
• Positive bill passes House
• Anti-mining bill dies in Washington State
State Lends Help to County in Nevada Road Fight
April 2015
Nevada’s attorney general for the first time is joining a rural county in a 15-year-old legal battle...
Nevada’s attorney general for the first time is joining a rural county in a 15-year-old legal battle...
Utah Approves funds to Fight Feds
April 2015
Republican legislators say the funding is necessary to protect state interests...
Republican legislators say the funding is necessary to protect state interests...
Legislative and Regulatory Update
March 2015
• Flurry of new bills in Congress
• Gold mining bills in Washington State
• Idaho suction dredging bill
• California suction dredging update
• PLP fundraising drive
Tasers and Mining Don't Mix
March 2015
First, the US Forest Service does not have any authority to enforce or administer any “claim jumping” laws, period.
First, the US Forest Service does not have any authority to enforce or administer any “claim jumping” laws, period.
Legislative and Regulatory Update
February 2015
• Comments needed on another BLM management plan
• AEMA joins with others in lawsuit asking court to set aside illegal settlement
Mining Community Loses A Great Leader: Gerald "Jerry" Hobbs
February 2015
He certainly wasn’t afraid of a fight or a court battle, and he didn’t back away from calling out those who tried to compromise the rights of miners.

Suction Gold Dredge Miners Win On Federal Preemption
February 2015
Judge Ochoa went so far as to call the California permit scheme “unenforceable.”
Judge Ochoa went so far as to call the California permit scheme “unenforceable.”
Uniting The Small Miners
February 2015
Have you ever wondered what it is going to take to stop the insanity of politicians and environmental groups from taking away our rights?
Have you ever wondered what it is going to take to stop the insanity of politicians and environmental groups from taking away our rights?
Legislative and Regulatory Update
January 2015
• Some positives in spending bill
• Judge puts brakes on the EPA in Alaska
• Judge to rule in favor of suction gold dredgers
• Some positives in spending bill
• Judge puts brakes on the EPA in Alaska
• Judge to rule in favor of suction gold dredgers
Significant Progress for California Suction Gold Dredgers
January 2015
It was a milestone day in the battle to maintain the rights of miners to dredge on federal mining claims in California.
It was a milestone day in the battle to maintain the rights of miners to dredge on federal mining claims in California.
Suction Dredging Battle Escalates
December 2014
• State attorneys claim the Court of Appeals wrongly relied on South Dakota Mining Association v. Lawrence County regarding federal preemption...
• State attorneys claim the Court of Appeals wrongly relied on South Dakota Mining Association v. Lawrence County regarding federal preemption...
The Dredge Report
November 2014
As a plaintiff in one of the lawsuits, I’m not allowed to talk about specifics in the court-ordered negotiations currently underway in San Bernardino. However, I do want to let you know we are making progress…

What Can I Do to Save My Mining Rights?
November 2014
We can either surrender or draw a line in the sand and fight to hold the remaining mining rights we still have.

Wake Up Voters! Oregon SB 838 Study Group Update
October 2014
They want to close our roads on public land (built by taxpayer funds) to keep us and our disabled veterans out. And it won’t stop with just mining.
They want to close our roads on public land (built by taxpayer funds) to keep us and our disabled veterans out. And it won’t stop with just mining.
Taking on the EPA, Sasquatch, Ratchilla and Gold Dredging
September 2014
...we packed up our two dredges and headed for our claim about an hour away on the South Fork of the Clearwater to dredge openly in opposition to the EPA.

Appeals Court OKs Permits for Upper Peninsula Mine
September 2014
The $800 million project will provide 300 jobs during production. It will be the only US mine where nickel is the primary targeted mineral, with about 360 million pounds to be extracted.
The $800 million project will provide 300 jobs during production. It will be the only US mine where nickel is the primary targeted mineral, with about 360 million pounds to be extracted.
BLM Raises Location and Claim Fees
August 2014
The Bureau of Land Management announced an increase in location filing fees and annual maintenance fees for unpatented mining claims, mill sites and tunnel sites.
The Bureau of Land Management announced an increase in location filing fees and annual maintenance fees for unpatented mining claims, mill sites and tunnel sites.
Clarification on Oregon's SB838
August 2014
The 100-yard restriction in SB838 actually applies to all motorized mining for the purpose of extracting gold, silver or any other precious metal that results in the disturbance of vegetation.
The 100-yard restriction in SB838 actually applies to all motorized mining for the purpose of extracting gold, silver or any other precious metal that results in the disturbance of vegetation.
Successful Rally for Suction Dredge Miners in Idaho
August 2014
Representative Paul Shepherd stopped by, and Idaho County Commissioner Jim Chmelik dove with one of the dredgers so he could see for himself that no harm was being done to fish or their habitat.
