| There are many other valuable volunteers who have poured their hearts and time into making PLP great, and we sincerely thank Walt Wegner as the king of volunteers!
New Vice-President: Last year the board elected Walt Evens of Oregon as VP. He has been a long-time PLP member who even stood up to some cases in Oregon, such as Bohmker et al. vs. State of Oregon. He is often the face of PLP at the Oregon clubs, and shows. Walt knows a great deal about mining and its regulations and is available to address mining issues specifically in Oregon. Over the years, he has been very involved with the GPAA clubs in Southern California, Oregon, and Washington, often contributing to the Gold Prospector Magazine. He continues to be a great asset to PLP. Thank you, Walt Evens!
New Regulations Update: Mining is the most heavily regulated business in the United States. Clark saw these new changes coming and has been warning about them.
All PLP presidents including Jerry Hobbs, Dee Stapp, Walt Wegner and Ron Kliewer have always emphasized that there has never been a provision in the mining laws for “recreational mining.” Extra-curricular activities are not incident to mining under the Mining Law as we found out recently when Ron Kliewer appealed BLM’s ruling ‘requiring a recreation permit’ for Fallfest on his mining claim (with Clark’s expert guidance). This is because the agencies consider the group activities at the claims to be purposes other than, and not incident to, mining. Clubs will need to go to their claims to mine during the day and camp in nearby designated campgrounds for activities such as raffles and potlucks, rather than dispersed camping on their claims. Clubs will need to perhaps become “for-profit” private mining groups. And need pre-emption permits for their claims, such as a Plan of Operation permit, an NOI, and, for stream claims, a stream alteration permit (California), each of which is location-specific. Also, read the table of authorities in the regulations.
As a claim owner and miner, it is essential that you get familiar with mining law, regulations, and rules of procedure. All PLP members have been given Challenge Cards to guide you with links, so be brave and follow through.
If you have not yet received your updated 2026 Reclamation Guide Cards, please request them. But due to the new proposed USFS regulations, they may only be valid for a few more months before becoming obsolete, unless your claim is on BLM managed lands.
Regarding the road closures, you have the right to access your mining claim; it must remain open and free, per the General Mining Law of 1872. Be ready to inform the officer if confronted, he/she may not know mining laws. Please be polite. If your road is closed and destroyed by BLM without giving any claim owners notice in violation of the Mining Law, like what happened in the U.S. v. Lex case, and U.S. v. Hicks (mining claimant is a landowner), use the PLP Orange Challenge Card procedure for filing. PLP has said from the beginning that if you don’t know and exercise your rights, you don’t have them. As a small-scale mining claim owner, you must learn and exercise your rights.
There are many informative links on the PLP website for you to read and get familiar with. Download and print them, such as mining laws https://www.publiclandsforthepeople.org/mining-laws/
legal documents https://www.publiclandsforthepeople.org/mining-documents/
a mining reference library under documents, mining & reclamation documents, and many case law precedence arguments for a public defender to use in court.
Your PLP Board of Directors
The original. No compromise.
Standing 36 years strong for Multiple Use on Public Land “RIGHTS”! |
