We
don’t
make
it
a
habit
of
bothering
our
readers,
but
a
piece
of
legislation
threatens
to
illegally
halt
suction
dredging
in
California.
It
may
be
too
late
to
do
something
about
this
if
we
don’t
take
action
now.
Assembly
Bill
1032
has
already
passed
the
California
House
of
Representatives.
The
bill,
introduced
by
Representative
Lois
Wolk,
was
actually
written
by
CalTrout
and
the
Karuk
Tribe.
You
may
remember
the
Karuk
Tribe.
Twice
they
have
sued
the
State
of
California,
claiming
suction
gold
dredging
was
causing
harm
to
fish
and
their
habitat.
They
lost
both
times
because
scientific
studies
have
shown
that
the
activity
is
insignificant.
If
enacted,
the
bill
would
give
the
Department
of
Fish
and
Game
(DFG)
the
authority
to
close
waters
to
suction
gold
dredging
“when
necessary
to
protect
wild
trout
or
other
sensitive
native
aquatic
or
amphibian
species.”
A
suction
dredge
permit
would
not
be
issued
unless
DFG
can
determine
that
suction
dredging
would
not
be
deleterious
to
various
species,
which
would
make
it
nearly
impossible
to
obtain
such
a
permit.
Several
knowledgeable
miners
and
attorneys
were
scheduled
to
testify
against
this
bill
in
front
of
the
Senate
Committee
on
Natural
Resources
and
Water
on
July
10,
2007.
Chairman
Steinberg
cut
the
number
of
speakers
to
two,
and
limited
them
to
2
minutes.
It
became
obvious
that
the
chairman
and
several
committee
members
had
already
made
up
their
minds
and
planned
to
pass
the
bill
on
to the
Senate
for
a
full
vote.
Siskiyou
County
Supervisor
Marcia
Armstrong
spoke
of
the
economic
hardships
the
bill
would
create
on
her
county
and
other
rural
counties
where
gold
dredging
is
prevalent.
Attorney
James
Buchal,
representing
the
New
49er’s
prospecting
club,
addressed
the
fallacies
of
the
bill
before
he
was
cut
off
by
chairman
Steinberg.
Jerry
Hobbs,
president
of
Public
Lands
for
the
People,
was
allowed
to
make
a
brief
statement.
Hobbs
advised
the
committee
that
the
bill
is
in
conflict
with
federal
law
by
prohibiting
mining
on
a
valid
claim,
which
creates
a
mineral
taking
issue.
He
let
them
know
that
suction
dredge
mining
is
the
only
use
of
state
waterways
that
provides
mitigation
by
loosening
compacted
gravels,
removing
toxic
and
other
heavy
metals,
and
creating
dissolved
oxygen.
He
said
he
was
trying
to
keep
the
state
from
getting
sued,
and
advised
them
that
a
prudent
man
cannot
address
all
the
relevant
issues
in
the
limited
time
frame
provided
by
the
committee.
Chairman
Steinberg
cut
him
off
before
he
was
allowed
to
finish.
The
bill
passed
the
committee
on
a
party-line
vote—the
five
Democrats
voted
for
it
and
the
three
Republicans
voted
against
it.
Senator
Hollingsworth
contacted
Hobbs
in
the
hallway
and
suggested
he
provide
Governor
Schwarzenegger
with
a
copy
of
his
comments
and
concerns.
Hobbs
has
since
delivered
a
copy
to
the
governor.
We
here
at
the
Journal
sent
our
own
letter
to
Governor
Schwarzenegger,
encouraging
him
to
veto
the
bill
if
it
arrives
on
his
desk
and
avoid
litigation
that
would
be
embarrassing
and
costly
for
California.
A
copy
of
our
letter
is
attached.
We
are
asking
you
to
do
the
same.
If
this
bill
will
negatively
impact
you
as
an
individual,
or
your
business,
please
encourage
Governor
Schwarzenegger
to
veto
AB
1032.
Out-of-state
dredgers
should
also
advise
the
governor
if
this
bill
would
curtail
plans
to
spend
money
on
dredging
trips
within
California.
Letters
should
be
addressed
to
Governor
Arnold
Schwarzenegger,
State
Capitol
Building,
Sacramento,
CA
95814.
Remember to include your name and address, and sign your letter.
A large number of these types of letters do not get counted because this information is not included!
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Scott Harn
Editor
ICMJ’s Prospecting and Mining Journal