Mining
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“Meet the new boss..same as the old boss” ? Many of us hoped that with a new Department of Justice (DOJ), many of the most contentious and important environmental disputes governing environmental issues now held in the courts might be settled with a greater regard for this nation’s existing environmental laws – that’d mean progress.…
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Coal mining threat from Canada just north of Glacier NP is becoming an international issue- I made a trip to the mine proposed area (and even worse coal bed methane wells) in British Columbia last summer. What a horrible place to do this! Other than the local fish and wildlife (and there is a lot),…
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Exploration can begin immediately- BLM authorizes Grand Canyon uranium exploration.By Eric Bontrager. New York Times. BLM Defies Congress, Authorizes Grand Canyon Uranium Exploration. by Mcjoan. The Daily Kos. “This is not a positive development from Salazar’s Interior Department.” In my view Obama’s public land policies are turning out to be no better than George W.…
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Successful appeal by the Greater Yellowstone Coalition sends case back to district court- Federal appeals court blocks mine expansion. By Rebecca Boone. AP. I was told that In summary, the appellate court: 1. Issued a stay of mine development activities; 2. Ruled that the Idaho magistrate judge erred in disregarding GYC’s demonstration of harm to…
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Idaho Board of Environmental Quality Won’t Even Vote for Voluntary Rules. Barker: Industry rolls over mercury initiative . Rocky Barker – Idaho Statesman Mercury is an element that does not degrade to anything less harmful. It causes developmental problems in children and unborn fetuses and it accumulates in fish and other food sources making them unsafe…
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Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall wants hard rock mines to pay royalties- Despite Obama’s seeming lack of interest in mining reform (probably due to prompting from Harry Reid), the chair of the House Natural Resources Committee is not detered. Story in the Salt Lake Tribune. Report: Time for hard-rock mining companies to pay up.…
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The 1872 Mining Law is a long-standing embarrassment, but Obama has shown no interest in dumping it- During the primary election season when Obama first came out against significant reform of this land destroying, trillion* dollar give-away, I thought he had merely received bad advice. Raúl Grijalva’s fervent desire to end this law probably weighed…
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Grijalva steps up to the plate and goes to bat against another Bush Interior “midnight regulation” aimed at looting sacred water for the Peabody Western Coal Company while tribes perform spiritual ceremonies. Dang, if you listen close – that sounds like a John Prine endorsement to me !