Mining reform bills would protect public lands and modernize outdated law
Open-pit mineral mining site in Hot Springs County, Wyoming
BLM Wyoming, flickr
New mining reform bills bring hard rock extraction into the 21st century
House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raul Grijalva and Senator Tom Udall each this week are introducing comprehensive mining reform bills, which update the antiquated General Mining Act of 1872. The bills include provisions that would modernize the royalties mining companies pay to the U.S. taxpayer and help protect iconic American landscapes. There will be a hearing on the House bill, HR 2579, on May 9th in the House Natural Resources’ Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee.
Drew McConville, senior managing director of The Wilderness Society said:
“Our nation’s ridiculously outdated mining law was written in the era of wagon trains, and before toxic air and water contamination from mines riddled the United States. With Chairman Grijalva and Senator Udall’s leadership, Congress has a roadmap to modernizing the gas lamp-era 1872 Mining Act that permits pollution of our land and waters while leaving taxpayers with the cleanup bill. We can no longer allow mining companies to threaten spectacular landscapes like Bears Ears and the Grand Canyon. We urge the House and Senate to take action soon.”
MORE INFORMATION
For more details on the bill and the urgent need for hard rock mining reform, see TWS’ blog.
For more information, contact Tony Iallonardo at tony_iallonardo@tws.org.
