PLP 2016 GRAND RAFFLE WINNERS

The 2016 PLP Grand Raffle was held Friday, July 22nd at the GPAA Headquarters in Temecula, CA. PLP would like to thank Brandon Johnson and the GPAA for hosting the drawing via live stream, which provided a real time viewing opportunity for everyone. The GPAA’s assistance with advertising the Grand Raffle made this fundraiser a huge success. We would also like to thank all the manufacturers, businesses and individuals to donated all the fabulous prizes.

THE 2016 PLP GRAND RAFFLE WINNERS:

Gold Nugget Earrings Brenda Cruz
Aurora Manufacturing Sluice Mike Mahr
Mini Propane Furnace Jamine Buck
Ethiopian Opal Specimen David Murray
Amethyst Crystal Eugene Knuttila
Megalodon Shark Tooth Tim McMahon
Creekside Mining Rocker Box Robert Devine
Columbian Amber Delta Gold Diggers
Gold Cube Delta Golddiggers
Mad Mining Dry Concentrator James McKenzie
Damascus Knife Delta Gold Diggers
Damascus knife Bradley Smith
Fisher Gold Bug Pro Detector Harold Clapper
White’s GMT Detector Kathy Walton
½ Ounce of Gold Show Me Gold Prospectors
Makro Racer Detector Emmet Vaughn
Fisher F-19 Detector Henry & Dawn
1 Ounce of Gold Tony Lavalle
Gold Buddy Dredge Combo Leeza Robertson
Keene 151S Drywasher Show Me Gold Prospectors
Keene 173 Highbanker Bobby Schmitt
New 49ers Lifetime Membership Brent Fette
Minelab GPX 4500 Dana Haynes

 

Watch the Grand Raffle Drawing Friday 7/22 10am Pacific Time

PLP’s longtime supporter The Gold Prospector’s Association of America (GPAA) is getting all set up at their studio to host Public Lands for the People’s Grand Raffle drawing. This fun annual tradition is being held at the GPAA Headquarters for the first time ever, PLUS: We’ll be streaming it LIVE! Yes, you can join in the fun with interactive comments while you watch. It all starts tomorrow at 10am PDT. You can catch all the action at Gold Prospectors Association of America and at Livestream.com/goldprospectors … Over $20,000 in awesome prizes (like lots of GOLD and cool mining equipment!) will be given away, and all proceeds go to supporting your rights to prospect and mine on public lands. Who’s excited to win some cool prospecting gear!? Counting down to FUN!!! Join us for the party right online!

First time ever! Watch the event from anywhere!
Streaming live on Facebook.com/GoldProspectors -or- via Livestream.com/GoldProspectors using a PC, Apple/Android Device, or Roku. Comments will be enabled so we encourage your interaction during the event.
Follow this link and choose “Get Notified” for the event reminder!

 

 

Calling Miners to BLM Meeting in Ridgecrest 3/24/16 6pm

Ridgecrest BLM Roundtable Committee

Time: 6:00 PM PST to 8:30 PM PST

Where: BLM Office 300 S. Richmond Rd. Ridgecrest, CA 93555

Minerals and Mining Advisory Council (MMAC)

Agenda for March 24th, 2016 to speak on the following:

Presenters:

Clark Pearson (PLP Legal Research, MMAC Advisor)

Scott Harn (MMAC Advisor and Owner ICMJ)

Joe Martori (Owner Sleepy Bear Mining, MMAC Advisor, Randsburg Mining District BOD)

Donald Fife (Geologist, Sedimentologist, Past four time DOI Advisor and Editor)

Mining Districts:

(a) How were they formed

(b) Congressional approval for the mining districts

(c) Do mining districts still exist

(d) The current power of the mining districts

Miners Making the Rules and Regulations Supported in Washington DC

The Power of the Mining Districts

What is a Mining Right?

  1. 1955 Multiple Surface Use Act Application (FLPMA) to Mining and Other Users

(a) Did FLPMA repeal the Mining Law of 1872

(b) How activist extremist are manipulating the law to the exclusion of man

(c) Material Inference

Armchair Environmentalism

3. Multiple Use Lands, Symbiotic Relations and Conflict Resolutions

(a) Man and nature as one

(b) Natural Land reclamation (Babcock Report for BLM)

(c) How mining stands with Land Management Plans

(d) Proposed MOU with BLM for model to go across U.S.

The Babcock Report

Multiple Use Lands, Symbiotic Relations and Conflict Resolutions

 

Papers/Reports to share at table:

* United States Mining Laws and Regulations Thereunder

* Codified Law 30 U.S.C. 21(a) – 54

* The Mining Law of 1872 A Legal and Historical Analysis ( book available for sale)

* Mineral Regulatory Reform Act – A Clear Path Respecting Mining Rights

PLP Board of Directors

After 26 years, PLP is still working hard to improve our operations and fight more effectively, doing all we can to preserve our Public Lands Rights. We are always looking for ways to run leaner and to be more successful with our endeavors. We take our role seriously and thank you who donate and join with us in the struggle to keep the rights we have been granted by leaders from past generations who had great foresight and acted on that wisdom.

So here we are again, another Annual Board Election. Just routine non-profit corporation requirements you say? Not so! We are growing and stretching as we have taken on more court cases and the HUGE task of supporting the Minerals and Mining Advisory Council (MMAC), getting it running and self-sustaining is an ambitious project. To that end we have expanded our Board of Directors and changed positions so as to better utilize our time and talents in various ways, sort of a cross training exercise if you will.

The 2016 Board of Directors:

Ron Kliewer, President

Walt Wegner, Immediate Past President, Treasurer

Jerry Shodall, Vice President

Barry Wetherby, Director, PLP Founder

Pat Keene, Director, PLP Founder

Bill Samarin, Director

Ray Kender, Secretary

Dwayne Platz, Recording Secretary

Timothy Eakin, Director

 

These are your PLP volunteer Board of Directors. No one gets paid to serve; we serve because we are dedicated to the cause of Freedom and the rights granted us by our forefathers under the Constitution, the 1872 Mining Act and other rights granted by U.S. Law, One Nation, Under God.

It can be lost with one generation of apathy. Some freedom has been lost already. We are working hard to Take It Back and Keep It!

PLP Board of Directors election March 2

Dear Members of Public Lands for the People,

Thank you for being a supporting member of PLP. We can’t be successful in the fight to keep our public lands open to multiple use without your help. We have had many successes over the years, including the HUGE Federal Preemption win in San Bernardino last year in the combined dredging cases. When many folks band together to do something, a lot gets accomplished! Part of our mission is reaching out to those within the mining community and to other outdoor user groups. We can use your help on the Board, on special projects like research or at fundraising events and getting the word out. We can’t do it without YOU!

As you know, PLP is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit corporation. All donations are tax deductible according to the IRS. As a non-profit organization, we have certain rules and regulations that we must follow to maintain our tax-exempt status. One of those things is maintaining the corporate structure, including a volunteer Board of Directors. No one on the Board gets paid for their service to PLP. The Board of Directors guides the direction of PLP, and is charged with the responsibility of carefully dispersing funds in the fight to keep our rights. The funds are most often used for legal expenses and costs incurred for fundraising, and getting our message out to other user groups, the media, etc.

The Board of Directors will be having their next election of approximately half the Board of Directors next Wednesday, March 2, 6 pm at:

3120 El Sebo Avenue, Hacienda Heights CA 91745

Please show up and vote, it’s your right as a PLP Member in good standing. Hope to see you there!

Thank you,

Ron Kliewer

On behalf of your Board of Directors,

Public Lands for the People

JUDGE OCHOA CEQA RULING 1-20-2016

Judge Ochoa Stays CEQA Ruling in Remarkable Court Proceeding

In San Bernardino Superior Court, Judge Gilbert Ochoa candidly admitted that the mining community is being denied justice in his own courtroom by deferring a decision on the CEQA case. In what amounts to a judicial ole’, Judge Ochoa is kicking the can down the road until the California Supreme Court rules on the Brandon Rinehart case.

From Attorney James Buchal:

This morning was the scheduled time for Judge Ochoa to hear and rule upon CEQA and Administrative Procedure Act challenges to the Department’s FSEIR on suction dredging, as well as the time set for a hearing on a motion for summary judgment (and the Department’s counter-motion for judgment on the pleadings) concerning the question whether AB 120 and SB 1018 were unconstitutional for violation of the “one subject” rule in the California Constitution.

The hearing was delayed because the Judge was in the process of preparing his tentative ruling (poor quality camera copy attached—I’m still at the airport): he would not decide anything; everything would be stayed pending a ruling in People v. Rinehart. I was given the opportunity to contest the tentative ruling, and pointed out to the Judge that while there was some limited overlap between the federal preemption issues and the CEQA arguments, the “one subject” case had nothing to do with People v. Rinehart.

I explained that we were in the process of getting water quality permits or waivers, but even if we got them, the unconstitutional provisions of AB 120 and SB 1018 would still require certifications about birds, noise, wildlife and historical/cultural issues, such that we could not get suction dredging permits even to run under the restrictive 2012 regulations. Striking down AB 120 and SB 1018 would remove all legal obstacles (other than water quality certifications) to the Department’s issuance of permits under the 2012 regulations without regard to any federal preemption issues. I was interrupted in mid-argument as I then strayed into the merits of the CEQA baseline argument (which also has nothing to do with federal preemption).

At the end of the hearing, after hearing from the Department, which reversed its earlier position that we needed to decide these issues, I said that of course the Department and Tribe were happy for delay, that justice delayed is justice denied, and this was unfair. The Judge remarked that he agreed with my last observation, it was unfair, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Whether or not a federal court will recognize the extraordinary nature of our treatment in the California courts as, in substance, a concerted effort to frustrate federal civil mining rights, remains to be seen. This morning’s developments are certainly more evidence in support of that position.

James L. Buchal

Murphy & Buchal LLP

 

Read Judger Ochoa’s Ruling HERE

 

Albert Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. We are mindful of this definition as the Board perfects the next course of action to prevail against our adversaries.

PLP Editor 

PLP COURT DATE: JANUARY 20th at 8:30 a.m.

Public Lands for the People will be back in court Wednesday, January 20th at 8:30 a.m. to present oral arguments for the last 2 causes of action in front of Judge Gilbert Ochoa. Commonly referred to as the “CEQA case”, these arguments center on the State of California’s violation of the Administrative Procedures Act. The New 49’ers and Western Mining Alliance are partners with PLP in this action and will be present in court as well. Judge Ochoa has latitude to issue a ruling at the time of oral arguments or defer to a later date.

In 2015, Judge Ochoa ruled in the miner’s favor on the issue of Federal Preemption and that as a matter of LAW and in actual FACT, that the State’s “extraordinary scheme” of requiring permits then refusing to issue them is an “obstacle to the full purposes and objectives of Congress”. PLP will defend this important court victory at the appellate level against the State when necessary.

Court Information

Where:
San Bernardino Superior Court (Judge Gilbert Ochoa)
When:
Wednesday, January 20th, 8:30 a.m.
Address:
247 West Third Street San Bernardino, CA 92415-0210

Thank you very much,
PLP Board of Directors

GPAA GOLD AND TREASURE SHOW IN POMONA, CA FEBURARY 20-21

The Gold Prospectors Association of America will be holding their annual Gold and Treasure Shows starting Feburary 20th in Pomona, California. Public Lands for the People is scheduled to be on hand at every Gold and Treasure Show this season. It is a thrill to see familiar folks at these events, and a pleasure to meet new ones. Please attend one of these shows, stop by the PLP booth and say hello.
GPAA Gold and Treasure Show Schedule

Thank you very much,

PLP Board of Directors

 

 

MMAC PROGRESS UPDATE 12-16-2015

LOGOS_XMinerals & Mining Advisory Council Year End 2015 Progress

MMAC is now releasing the rev 40 of the Mineral Regulatory Reform Act proposed bill.  It incorporates the concerns of miners from the past end of summer submissions.  We have removed the notion that MMAC or the Mining Districts would become an agency beholden to any U.S. President.  Instead, the bill expands, clarifies and empowers the Mining District’s role as arbiter of reasonable regulations.  MMAC has struggled over the fact that the Mining Districts could have liabilities if they were strictly rule makers and that is why we were previously leaning towards an agency status in order to give the Mining Districts qualified immunity.  The Mining Districts acting as arbiters of reasonable regulation place them squarely within a judicial capacity invoking immunity.

The www.mmacusa.org website has been clarified and upgraded to show the progress of MMAC and PLP.  The new rev 40 of the MMAC bill is available on the site for download.   A large database of traditional Mining District bylaws are forming on the website for the miners to download.  Scott Harn with the ICMJ is taking the lead in breaking hundreds of Mining District bylaws down by State and County level.

The challenge MMAC is having right now is creating a cost effective database in order to contact claimholders via e-mail or phone regarding the MMAC bill or notifications of Mining District elections.  Presently, we have a joint proposal to the Western Mining Alliance to fill this need and who already have this database.  BLM’s LR2000 only has names and addresses.  We are also hopeful that Joe Martori (when he can break loose of his busy schedule) can set up a teleconference in January with the MMAC regional administrators so these boots on the ground have instructions and can lift some weight off of the rest of us.

Feel free to post this and send this to other miners interested on where MMAC is right now.

Background information on MMAC’s objectives can be found by reading Miners Making the Rules and Regulations.

If you are not getting responded to by the MMAC website and need more info call (530) 273-0420 until such time MMAC administrators contact numbers are made available on the MMAC website.

Those organizations that wish to partner with MMAC and that share MMAC’s objectives are asked to contact us.

 

-Clark Pearson, Interim coordinator for MMAC