More than two dozen businesses, most of them from Southwest Oregon, are joining the call for new laws to regulate gold mining.
It’s become a big issue for the area, partly because of rising gold prices, partly because of California’s new ban on suction dredge mining. That method is still legal in Oregon and the concern is that California miners will bring their operations north of the border.
In a letter written to Senator Merkley, the business group makes two points.
First, it thanks him for his support for a moratorium on mining in the Siskiyou Wild Rivers. Members of Oregon’s congressional delegation, as well as Governor Kulongoski, want the feds to reinstate a Clinton-era mining ban for the area that was overturned in 2001 by President Bush.
Sean Stevens of Oregon Wild says since the ban was lifted, more than 1,000 new mining claims have been filed.
But beyond the ban, the business group also is asking for Merkley’s support of S-796, a major reform of mining laws that have seen few changes since 1872.
The businesses say mining damages the environment by creating new roads, tearing down old trees, leaching chemicals in streams, increasing erosion and destroying salmon habitat.
Most of the businesses in the group are outdoor recreation companies, so they have economic reasons, too. The letter says, “In order for our businesses to thrive, we depend upon our customer’s ability to safely hike, camp, paddle, bike, ski, snowshoe, climb, hunt, and fish on our public lands, in the Siskiyou Wild Rivers area.” The letter also cites studies showing that recreation on the Rogue River was worth $30 million in 2007, and that salmon and steelhead runs generate about $1.5 billion in economic activity.
S-796 went before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in July of last year. But since then there’s been no action on the bill. Senator Wyden is one of the co-sponsors.
