An update on the Rinehart suction gold dredging case -- asking for your help

December 16, 2017

As many of our readers know, the State of California legislated suction dredge miners out of the water under the guise of environmental degradation, then legislators agreed to have new dredge regulations developed by the State Water Resources Control Board. Dredge miners have been unable to properly and efficiently work their mining claims since this fiasco began some nine years ago.

Branden Rinehart was a dredge miner who was cited for dredge mining in California without a permit -- a permit that the State of California stated he needed but refused to issue.

Rinehart's case is being considered by the US Supreme Court and the interested parties have submitted their briefs. We don't know yet whether the US Supreme Court will accept the case for review. The main issue: whether the State of California can preempt federal mining law by outlawing a particular type of mining on federal mining claims.

The current administration in Washington, DC, seems to be more in favor of public land use, including mining, but the Department of Justice (DOJ) still has many holdovers from the past administration. This might explain the brief submitted to the US Supreme Court by DOJ that claims California is well within their rights to ban suction dredge mining.

Public Lands for the People (PLP) sent out a request for assistance and we hope that many of our readers—whether or not you are a suction dredge miner—will take the time to send off a letter to President Trump and the US Supreme Court. If you choose to write a letter, please be cordial and certainly not threatening in any manner. If you would like an example, there is a link below to a letter written by attorney James Buchal.

Below is the request sent out by PLP and by the New 49ers. 

I want to thank you in advance for your time and effort in this matter.

Scott Harn, Editor/Publisher

ICMJ's Prospecting and Mining Journal

Dear PLP Supporter:
Dave McCracken distributed this important message to the mining community recently. The PLP Board is more than happy to pass this along to our recipients with the confidence that most of you will read the detailed message and take the appropriate action. This will take some time, so please set aside a few hours and do your part.

From Dave Mack:

Dear Ron Kliewer,

We just found out that the Solicitor General has submitted a briefing to the U.S. Supreme Court which completely misrepresents what is at stake in the Rinehart case, and presents a completely false explanation of why the Supreme Court should not review the Rinehart case. This is hugely alarming since the Solicitor General is supposed to be on the side of “Making America Great Again." Here is just one more reminder of how deep and pervasive the deep state is -- or "the swamp" as it is commonly referred to.

The following is a link to the Solicitor General's briefing to the Supreme Court. It was undoubtedly compiled by our worst enemies; the very same people who are attempting to bring Donald Trump down:

https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/16/16-970/22901/20171206191927741_16-970%20--%20Rinehart%20v%20California.PDF

At this point, it would seem as though our final hope is to bring this terrible injustice to President Trump's attention. The best way I can think of to do this is through a massive email program by so many people, that whoever manages the President's communications cannot ignore the message. This is nearly the last opportunity we have to save our industry, folks!

Here is where you go to write a message to President Trump:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/write-or-call

Please read the following formal letter that has been sent to Donald Trump by our attorney:

http://www.goldgold.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Letter-to-President-Trump-12-8-17.pdf

You can create your own talking points from what you already know, or by reading the letter just above, or just by reminding Mr. Trump that there is no way we will ever make America great again unless we open mineral development once again on the federal lands. While the federal government certainly gets in our way in some places, some States are determined to stop mineral development on the federal lands. This is especially true in California, Oregon and Washington.

Please copy and paste into your message the link just above which goes to our attorney's letter.

It might also be helpful if you send a copy of your message to the U.S. Supreme Court. You can find the email address here:

https://www.supremecourt.gov/contact/contact_pio.aspx

We must create such a large commotion over this that Mr. Trump or his Attorney General will immediately withdraw the existing briefing to the Supreme Court, and have a new briefing written by pro-mining, pro-America attorneys. There are plenty of these available in the private sector.

For as long as we have been fighting to recover our mining rights, there has never been a more important time to make our voices heard. Our future, and to a large degree, America's future, hangs in the balance which very well might swing our way if we all make a lot of noise right now!

Thanks for all you can do,

Dave Mack