ICMJ Article - Oregon Rivers

[nebraskadad]

http://www.icmj.com/news-detail.php?id= ... d_dredging

Got this in my email this afternoon:
02/25/2013
Oregon Senator Alan Bates introduces bills to restrict gold dredging Print

Three separate bills have been introduced in Oregon to shut down mining.

Senate Bill 401 would designate countless rivers and streams as “scenic” to restrict suction gold dredging. A one-quarter mile easement is included on each side of the river or stream.

Gold-bearing waterways that would be placed off-limits to miners include major portions of the Applegate River, Cow Creek, Grave Creek, Illinois River, Sucker Creek and the Rogue River.

Senate Bill 370 would impose a $125 fee on placer miners on private, state or federal land, and include a penalty of $1,250 and 30 days jail for those who fail to obtain a permit. While this bill states it applies to commercial miners, it does not clearly define who would fall under this category. It further states that additional rules and regulations would be developed by the Division of State Lands.

Senate Bill 115 would prohibit many forms of mining in or near waterways and outlaw suction dredging, which cannot be done without just compensation under the “takings” provision of the Fifth Amendment of the US Constitution, which states, “...nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.”

SB115 includes a threat of one year in prison and a $6,250 fine for violators.

These bills are being spearheaded by Senator Alan Bates (D-Medford) who has allied with the Oregon League of Conservation Voters to get their agenda passed.

Please take time to look up these bills on the Internet and contact the legislators involved. Whether you are an Oregon miner or from another state, politely make it clear to them that the state will suffer severely from lost revenue from miners and from court costs associated with these bills.

Contact information:
Senator Alan Bates
(503) 986-1703
Sen.AlanBates@state.or.us
Senator Lee Beyer
(503) 986-1706
Sen.LeeBeyer@state.or.us
Senator Ginny Burdick
(503) 986-1718
Sen.GinnyBurdick@state.or.us
Senator Peter Courtney
(503) 986-1600
Sen.PeterCourtney@state.or.us
Senator Richard Devlin
(503) 986-1719
Sen.RichardDevlin@state.or.us
Senator Jackie Dingfelder
(503) 986-1723
Sen.JackieDingfelder@state.or.us
Senator Chris Edwards
(503) 986-1707
Sen.ChrisEdwards@state.or.us
Senator Mark Hass
(503) 986-1714
Sen.MarkHass@state.or.us
Senator Betsy Johnson
(503) 986-1716
Sen.BetsyJohnson@state.or.us
Senator Laurie Monnes Anderson
(503) 986-1725
Sen.LaurieMonnesAnderson@state.or.us
Senator Rod Monroe
(503) 986-1724
Sen.RodMonroe@state.or.us
Senator Floyd Prozanski
(503) 986-1704
Sen.FloydProzanski@state.or.us
Senator Arnie Roblan
(503) 986-1705
Sen.ArnieRoblan@state.or.us
Senator Diane Rosenbaum
(503) 986-1700
Sen.DianeRosenbaum@state.or.us
Senator Chip Shields
(503) 986-1722
Sen.ChipShields@state.or.us
Senator Elizabeth Steiner Hayward
(503) 986-1717
Sen.ElizabethSteinerHayward@state.or.us

[DJR]

Just a few year ago I made the statement that if they stopped dredging in CA, Oregon wouldn't be far behind.
It crated an uproar here. And the general attitude was that all they had to do was to keep CA dredgers out of Oregon to be safe. As in I got mine screw everyone else. Well, now it's here, in your face Oregon Deal with it.

[russau]

and if done in Oregon, itll happen in Idaho and Washington and others will soon follow! this will happen because people are just to lazy to watch their own state for upcomeing situations. these will be slipped in under some other name,much like agenda 21 and itll sit there for several years untill "they" decide to use it,and people will say,"hey, why didnt someone see this comeing and fight it?"

[Hoser John]

as the cancer from the klamath spreads it's tenascious tentacles yet ever wider the infection has spread expotentionally to the demise of the many. and the damnation of one and all

[gremlin]

yes we need to fight it and hard.

[cowboy444]

All I can say is please support the organizations that are fighting against all this illegal BS. Donate to PLP, Waldo Mining, EOMA, New 49ers. These groups have cases in court right now and need help paying the Lawyers. If we don't stand with them, we have nothing to cry about. I've sent donations several times and I'll send another one on pay day.

cowboy444