Up-Dated March 10th 2016
Miners Making the Rules and Regulations supported in Washington D.C.
The existing Federal Mining Law gives claim holders the authority to make rules and regulations in the context of organized Mining Districts. The miners within traditional mining districts have been neglecting their duties under Federal Mining law (30 U.S.C. section 22). This is why the Minerals and Mining Advisory Council (MMAC) was formed as a project under Public Lands for the People (PLP) to organize the traditionally and legally recognized Mining Districts within the United States and encouraging the miners holding mining claims to step to the plate, legally, and take charge of their future.
Presently MMAC has partnered with mining associations, unions, PLP and the National Association of Mining Districts. MMAC is a combined effort by numerous concerned miners, mine owners, geologists, mining engineers, retired politicians, retired military personnel, and mining attorneys that are gravely concerned about the future security of our nation and its increased dependence on foreign sources of mined materials. Currently the United States is importing up to 92% of raw materials, metals and rare-earth minerals from overseas. Mining Districts can change all of this. (This was voiced by Capitol Hill committee members on our March trip to Washington DC)
To date, the failure of Congressional action to rein in agencies at the Federal and State level from extremist green groups has nearly shut down the entire mining industry through onerous and prohibitive regulations and is also shutting out the general public at large. This is not consistent with the 1872 Mining Law, the mining district by-laws, the 1955 Multiple Surface Use Act, the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act, the 1970 National Minerals Policy Act and the 1976 Federal Land and Policy Management Act. MMAC was asked by the some Congressional House Natural Resources Committee members to put together a comprehensive solution to our industry’s plight. MMAC’s solution draft bill is named the “Minerals & Mining Regulatory Reform Act – A Clear Path Respecting Mining Rights” providing true accountability and regulatory certainty in existing law. This proposed bill provides:
- Regulatory certainty of a 30 day approval mitigation deadline
- Regulatory certainty of exemptions to the Clean Water Acts
- Regulatory certainty of exemptions to the Mine Safety and Health Administration
- Eliminates duplicative regulation by State and local governments
- Eliminates duplicative federal agency permits and the permit system
- Equal Access to Justice Act relief
- Cost effective due process appeal relief for unreasonable regulation
- Reasonable regulatory best management standards and mitigation formation procedures
- Clear environmental standing requirements to eliminate frivolous environmental lawsuits
- The TRADITIONAL MINING DISTRICTS as arbiters of reasonable regulation
MMAC’s objectives are advancing methodically and are being well received by regional Bureau of Land Management where MMAC has recognized their needed role in this process and this new path. The MMAC website, PLP facebook and ICMJ have been documenting our progress.
PLP and MMAC went to Capital Hill in Washington D.C the first week of March 2016. We had more than 36 meetings with Senators, Congressmen, and their legislative staffers on the House Natural Resource, Energy and Natural Resource, Oversight and Armed Services committees. In sum they felt our proposed bill and mainly the idea of the MINING DISTRICTS are exactly what they are looking for from the Grass Roots of America. What they were especially excited about is the power the traditional and congressionally recognized mining districts have presently, and with some clarification through the MMAC bill, can push back agency overreach! Why were they so interested in the mining districts? They saw the mining districts as a viable option to the issue that public lands go back to the States immediately and thus would trigger massive valid existing right determinations, which never end well for the miner. The committees were not aware of this until MMAC and PLP opened their eyes, and a way to open the land and roads to recreation, hunting, ranching and other outdoor activities under the “free and open” language of the Mining Law.
We have been called back to work closely on this historic piece of legislation with the legislative staffers on our bill and review other bills for them on the federal level. We are prepared to provide the Congressional education of the customary functions of the Mining Districts to the staffers. The Mining Districts along with clarification through the MMAC bill can break up the conflicts while employing a constitutional representative form of local governance benefiting other recreational public land users, along with grazing, hunting and ranching. This will require funding to pay for our travel and research. Now, here is where your help is needed. PLP is a 501(c)(3) and your donation for this grand endeavor will be tax deductible. Be part of the solution and make a healthy donation today in order that MMAC and PLP can continue to assist the local mining districts and educate Washington DC on the POWER OF THE MINING DISTRICTS! Please make your check payable to: PLP and add “for MMAC Bill” on the memo part of the check and send to: Public Lands for the People Inc, 20929 Ventura Blvd., Ste 47-466 Woodland Hills, CA 91364, or donate online to use auto pay on a monthly $10.00 contribution basis www.publiclandsforthepeople.org for the MMAC bill. See Washington DC progression as it happens on DC trips on PLP’s face book page https://www.facebook.com/publiclandsforthepeople .
REMEMBER $10.00 PER MONTH ON AUTO PAY IS ALL IT IS GOING TO TAKE ON YOUR PART TO TRY AND SAVE THE PUBLIC LANDS AND MINING FOR ALL OF US.
The Dept. of Interior has plans presently to place all public lands under environmental land designations that will not be for public use!