FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 2, 2007
For More Information:
Sarah Luna, Coordinator, ACP
480-205-3809
Amos Johnson, N.A.A.C., (928) 871-6380 or 637-3551
Brad Powell, TU, 480-300-5451
House Committee Hears Testimony on Mining Law Reform
Provides Royalty Money for Reclamation of Arizona's 100,000 Abandoned Mines
(Washington) The House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources will today hold a hearing on the royalty and abandoned mine reclamation provisions in H.R. 2262, 1872 Mining Law Reform. With many of the impacted resources and public lands in Arizona's First Congressional District, sportsmen, conservationists and Native Americans have formed a unique partnership to ask Congressman Rick Renzi to co-sponsor and support the measure.
Hard rock mining pollutes more than 40% of western headwater streams and it is estimated that there are more than 100,000 abandoned hard rock mines in Arizona alone. The cost estimate for cleaning up these mines is between $32 and $72 billion. H.R. 2262 establishes an 8% royalty on minerals taken from public lands and 2/3rds of the money collected will go to the abandoned mine cleanup fund.
ÒArizona's public lands are littered with thousands of abandoned mines that degrade water quality in headwater streams and threaten fish, wildlife and human healthÉthe new law will mean that money is available to clean up abandoned mines and that citizens are part of the decision making process, Òsaid Brad Powell, Arizona Public Lands Coordinator, Trout Unlimited.
Navajo Nation Tribal leaders sent letters to Congressman Renzi, who worked closely with them on banning uranium mining and dealing with its harmful impact, asking him to help again by co-sponsoring H.R. 2262. "There has been a rush over the past five years to claim metals on public lands. Many of the claims are near the Grand Canyon and tribal lands...Despite the ban on uranium mining on Navajo land, the mining industry is staking claims, buying mineral rights and applying for permits on the edge of Navajo landÉThe Mining Law Reform bill will help us in many ways."[The full text of their letters is attached.]
The Arizona Conservation Partnership (ACP) is an effort to organize and activate conservation interests in Arizona on federal issues when national interests and state conservation priorities converge. "The goal of ACP is to provide a means for stakeholders in the conservation arena to work together on important federal conservation issues and assist in effectively communicating with elected officials, the media and the public," said project coordinator Sarah Luna.
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