ELKO — U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop said after a congressional field hearing Monday in Elko that “more questions came out than answers.” He said that was especially true on the question of how the U.S. Forest Service came up with the authority to close roads as part of its Travel Management Plans.

The two sides battling over suction dredging for gold in the state’s rivers don’t agree on much. But both environmental and pro-mining voices are decrying the new regulations recently released by the state on the activity.

Public Lands for the People has been fighting and litigating for people’s land rights for more than 20 years. Now, with the support of the Western Mining Alliance, the two mining rights have teamed up to sue the California Department of Fish and Game in San Bernardino County Superior Court over the state ban on suction dredging.

SAN BERNARDINO — California property and mining rights groups filed a lawsuit April 12 challenging the state’s recently released suction dredging regulations. Public Lands for the People, Western Mining Alliance and Keene Engineering, among other plaintiffs seek to challenge the science and process behind the state’s recently completed Environmental Impact Report.

Earlier today the Department of Fish and Game took final action to adopt updated regulations governing suction dredge mining under Fish and Game Code section 5653 et seq. The Department took final action under the California Environmental Quality Act, Administrative Procedure Act (APA), and the Fish and Game Code.

Public Lands for the People is calling on miners to help fight the battle to defeat the suction dredge mining ban in California.

“In order to compare the 1994 regulations with the new regulations on suction dredging, I need to know who has been harmed by the new regulations as far as dredging season changes, nozzle sizes, etcetera,” said PLP President Jerry Hobbs.

The California Department of Fish and Game has released proposed regulations for suction dredge mining in the state. DFG released an earlier draft of these regulations for public review in February 2011. Copies of the revised regulations are also available for public review at the following DFG offices. Additional information is available at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/suctiondredge Public Comment: The opportunity for public review of the revised regulations begins on Friday, Feb. 17, 2012. The public comment period closes at 5 p.m. on Monday, March 5, 2012.

Prospectors forge alliance to battle assault on mining

The Western Mining Alliance has summoned miners and prospectors to a meeting to lay out the background and battle plan of how to organize independent miners and prospectors in California to overturn regulations that are strangling the small-scale and commerical mining community. The meeting, will be held following the regular Shasta Prospectors Club meeting in Redding on Wednesday, Jan 18 at 8 p.m. at Moose Hall, 320 Lake St.

Public comment period extended until Feb. 13

Congratulations. Your calls and e-mails got a 30-day extension. You now have the time to get comments in opposing this huge land grab. Monday, Feb.13 s the new deadline for public comments on the massive San Gabriel Mountains National Recreation Area . Don’t fail to do your part. Please at least send a letter. Don’t forget the National Park Service is also doing the huge Rim of the Valley National Recreation Area study at the same time covering of the same area but far larger in size. Your comments on the San Gabriel Mountains NRA Study now are critical.

Park Service taking over two National Forests

The public comment period on a proposed land grab to create create a huge new national park ecompassing two national forests in Southern California has been extended until Feb. 13.