In Need of Comments from Concerned Prospectors and Miners

Currently open for comments or action:

Applies to:

Comments needed on Forest Service attempt to further restrict mining

Proposed changes to 36 CFR Parts 223, 228, 261, 292, 293 

Federal Register Notice

Comment Deadline

  May 27, 2008

Send written comments to:

Forest Service, USDA

Attn: Director, Mineral & Geology Management (MGM) Staff (2810)

Mail Stop 1126

Washington, DC 20250-1125

Fax Comments to:

(703) 605-1575

Email comments to:

36cfr228a@fs.fed.us

Closed for comments or action:

Comments needed on Washington "Gold & Fish" regulations.

Washington Dept of Fish & Wildlife has proposed new regulations to govern small-scale mining. 

More info on meetings and how to submit comments

Proposed amendments (pdf file)

Comment Deadline

  Jan. 23, 2008

Public Meetings

Jan. 8, 2008

7-9pm

Spokane Falls Community College

Student Union Bldg

#17A&B

3410 W Fort George Write Dr

Spokane, WA 

--

Jan. 9, 2008

7-9pm

Days Inn

Ellensburg, WA

--

Jan. 15, 2008

7-9pm

WDFW Regional Office

on Grand Blvd

Vancouver, WA

--

Jan. 16, 2008

WDFW Regional Office

16018 Millcreek Blvd

Millcreek, WA

--

Tentative Public Meeting

Sat. Feb 2, 2008

Natural Resource Bldg #600

Capital Way North

Olympia, WA

Preble's mouse resurrected

Federal Register Notice and comment information (pdf file)

Comment Deadline

January 22, 2008

The Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007 (HR2262)

Bill that would place roadless areas off-limits to mining, permanently eliminate mining patents, improse 8% royalty, allow citizen suits for environmental compliance, require government approval of sale or transfer of operation, more...

• Testimony from the recent hearing in Elko, Nevada

• Text of bill

• Summary (Microsoft Word document from Northwest Mining Association)

PASSED IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Written testimony will be accepted until 8/31/07. (Additional opportunities will arise following other field hearings.)

Email written testimony to:

energyandminerals

@mail.house.gov

All States

California State Legislature

Proposed Bill to Restrict Dredging

Bill that would give permit authority to the Fish & Game Commission, impose new fees, ban dredging from waters that contain at risk species

• AB1032 (pdf)

• Update (posted 7/25/07)

• Our letter to Governor Schwarzenegger

Pending Legislation

VETOED BY GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER

Dredging in California

California State Water Resources Control Board

"Workshop" to take comments from dredgers regarding water quality

Public Notice

Public Meeting

June 12, 2007, 10am

Resources Building

First Floor Auditorium

1416 9th St.

Sacramento, California

Comments due by

June 21, 2007

Mail comments to:

Song Her, Clerk of the Court

Executive Office

State Water Resources Control Board

PO Box 100

Sacramento, CA 95812-0100

California

US Forest Service

Proposed regulation to criminalize occupation of a mining claim

Federal Register Notice

Comment Letter Provided by Public Lands for the People (pdf)

Comments due by

July 9, 2007

Mail comments to:

Forest Service, USDA

Attn: Director

MGM Staff, (2810) Mail Stop 1126

Washington, DC 20250-1126

all states

California State Water Resources Control Board Proposed Wetland and Riparian Area Protection Policy

Will place further restrictions on waterways - will impact prospectors and dredgers

Water Board summary and general information

Scoping Document listing the four alternative proposals

Comments due by April 19, 2007

Mail comments to:

Song Her, Clerk to the Board

Executive Office

State Water Resources Control Board

PO Box 100

Sacramento CA 95812-0100

Anyone interested in mining or prospecting in California

BLM Proposed Rule

The agency is considering whether "fair market value" should be charged for use of public lands. (It appears this could apply to unclaimed lands that are open to prospecting. See pg 5 in your April 2007 issue for further explanation.)

Federal Register Notice

Comments due by

April 24, 2007

Mail comments to:

Director (630), BLM

US Dept of Interior

Attn: 1004-AD69

Mail Stop 401 LS

1849 C St NW

Washington DC 20240

all states

USFS Region 2

Proposal by the Millers to mine the historic Robin Redbreast Lode

Draft Environmental Impact Statement general information page (scroll down to Robin Redbreast section, includes figures, sketches, etc.)

Draft EIS (pdf file)

Comments due by

October 23, 2006

Send comments to:

Robin Redbreast POO

2250 Highway 50

Delta, CO 81416

Proposed "Right to Access" bill

commentary

sample letter (.doc file)

text of proposed bill (revised 6/15/06)l

open

all states

Oregon Dept of Environmental Quality

Proposed revisions to turbidity and temperature that will impact all in-stream miners

Comments due by

Feb. 6, 2006

Meetings:

Jan. 17, 2006

Anne G. Basker Auditorium

604 NW Sixth St.

Grants Pass, OR

6pm

Jan. 24, 2006

1705 Main 

1st Floor

Baker City, OR

6pm

Oregon Dept of State Lands

Proposal to stop allowing mining in all "scenic" waterways in Oregon

Proposal and comment info

Brief summary and editor's comments

Comments due by 

Dec. 9, 2005

Meetings:

November 28
Wilsonville Public Library—Rose Room
8200 SW Wilsonville Road; 7 pm – 9 pm

November 30
Medford
Santo Community Center—Room 5
701 N Columbus
3 pm – 5 pm
7 pm – 9 pm

Oregon

USFS Scoping Letter:

Buckhorn Mountain project

Crown Resources and Kinross Gold

USFS Scoping Letter and comment info

Suggested talking points

Apr. 29, 2005

Buckhorn Mountain, Washington

Draft Management Plan:

South Yuba River

Management Plan website

Download the plan (65-page pdf)

Comments due

by

Mar. 1, 2005

Meeting:

Feb. 15, 2005

6:30-9:30

L.O.V.E. Bldg

660 Minnie St,

Condon Park,

Grass Valley,

California

California

Legislation:

Paleontological Resources Preservation Act

•Editor's letter

•Text of bill

No firm date - pending

All states

Final Draft

New 700-J General Permit for Suction Dredging:

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)

•Draft Final Rule and comment information

Comments due by 

Feb. 11, 2005

Comment period extended to March 4, 2005

Meetings:

Jan. 26, 2005

5:00pm

Oregon DEQ,

811 SW 6th Ave, Room 3a,

Portland, Oregon

Jan. 27, 2005

5:00pm

Dept. of State Lands

773 Summer St., Ste 100

Salem, Oregon

Feb. 1, 2005

5:00pm

Anne Basker Auditorium

604 NW 6th St.

Grants Pass, Oregon

Feb. 3, 2005

5:00pm

Baker City Hall

1655 First St

Baker City, Oregon

Oregon claimholders

and dredgers who may find themselves in Oregon!

Proposed Gold Mine:

Desert Mineral Mining

•Documents and comment information

Comments due

by

February 4, 2005

Idaho

Procedural rules:

MSHA Review Commission

•Federal Register Notice

Comments due by

January 25, 2005

All states

Proposed rule:

To Allow individual governors to petition the federal government to gain management control over roadless areas in their state:

Roadless Rule

•USFS news release

•Federal Register Notice

Comments due by

November 15, 2004

(deadline extended from September 15, 2004)

All states

Draft Resource Management Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement:

Price (Utah) Resource Management Plan

•General information page; comment information

•Documents & bulletins

•Mineral Report (precious metals portion begins on page 60)

Central Utah

Endangered Species Act proposal:

Tiger Salamander critical habitat proposed 

•Federal Register Notice

Comments due by October 12, 2004

Central California (20 counties; 382,666 acres)

Proposed rule:

MSHA training requirements

•Federal Register Notice

Comments due by September 14, 2004

All states

Proposed rule:

Forest Service

Establishing road system and restricting vehicle use

•Federal Register Notice

Comments due by

September 13, 2004

All states

Proposed exploration project:

Fremont Gold Corp.

•Scoping Notice

(.pdf file)

Comments due by

September 10, 2004 

Jack Morrow Hills, Wyoming

Interim rule:

Forest Service

"Clarification as to When a Notice of Intent and/or Plan of Operation Is Needed for Locatable Mineral Operations on National Forest System Lands"

•Editor's Article

•Federal Register Notice

Emergency rule began August 9, 2004

Comments due by

September 9, 2004

All states

EPA Draft National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit:

Kensington Gold Mine

•Announcement

•Draft fact sheet (pdf)

•Draft permit (pdf)

Comments due by

September 5, 2004

July 26, 2004 meeting
Centennial Hall, Sheffield Ballroom
101 Egan Drive
Informational Open House: 4-6pm
Project Presentation and Q&A: 6-7pm
Public Testimony: 7-10pm

July 27, 2004 meeting
American Bald Eagle Foundation Building
2nd Avenue and Haines Hwy. Informational Open House: 4-6pm
Project Presentation and Q&A: 6-7pm
Public Testimony: 7-10pm

Kensington Gold Mine, near Juneau, Alaska

Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) draft permit:

Kensington Gold Mine

•Draft permit (pdf)

Comments due by

August 5, 2004

Kensington Gold Mine,

near Juneau, Alaska