Last Post 09 Feb 2015 02:29 PM by  BRANDON JOHNSON
End California’s statewide dredging ban
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BRAD JONES
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02 May 2014 11:35 PM
    More than 120 miners representing the GPAA, LDMA, SPMA, WMA and PLP showed up at the California Superior Court in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. on May 1 to show support for Public Lands for the People, which is leading the legal battle to end the statewide ban on small-scale suction dredge mining. After saying in open court that he would make a ruling in two weeks, Judge Gilbert Ochoa instead reserved judgement in a closed-door session with all parties, instead calling for a Mandatory Settlement Conference set for June 24, 2014. If a settlement can’t be reached, the case is likely to go to trial in November. The dredging "moratorium" was imposed in 2009 by state legislators and signed into law by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The moratorium, Senate Bill 670,  has since been extended under various pieces of legislation, including Assembly Bill 120, signed by Governor Jerry Brown in 2011. Miners are fighting to end the six-year "moratorium“ on suction dredge mining imposed by California state legislators. They argue the "moratorium" has become an outright ban on prohibition and should be ended because the state legislators have violated the Supremacy Clause by pre-empting federal mining laws.
    Tim Leibel
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    03 May 2014 05:43 AM
    This is so much BS. Has anyone actually done a simple test of waters on a creek that has not been dredged and then fired up a dredge for an hour and tested the water below the dredge? The only thing different they would find is lower pollutants and more sediment which would go lower each hour later they pulled the samples. This is simple logic. The dredge is designed to catch heavy materials such as mercury, gold, arsenic, lead. DUH. I am for preserving our environment so we can go see it's beauty when we prospect, fish, camp ,bird sight, hike, etc. but come on , use some simple common sense and science. And has anyone pointed out how much MONEY prospectors bring to the economy? I just moved from California, they need every penny they can make. This is the one draw back to our Federal Judicial system, they have a job for life so they can be idiots.
    MICHAEL BUCKMAN
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    03 May 2014 09:07 PM
    I wonder though. If you own land and a gold bearing river runs through it, are you allowed to dredge in your own backyard?
    Calvin Courtnier
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    03 May 2014 11:11 PM

    the testing and research has been done. The eco-lobby is well aware of the results. They choose rather to disbelieve the results until it suites their needs.  For example they want to dredge the Bear River gust outside of Colfax, CA.  They claim it is not in search of gold but rather to remove the mercury in the river and remove the silt accumulation.  This would of course be paid for by the rest of us out of general tax funds.  Last time i checked the miners will not only willing to do this for free, but they were paying the state a fee to do it before the ban went into affect.

    Tim Leibel
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    04 May 2014 05:55 AM
    I would gladly pay them for the priviledge of cleaning up their mercury. LOL
    Joseph Loyd
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    04 May 2014 08:17 AM
    There was a bunch of use that were paying that fee .
    TERRY MOORE
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    04 May 2014 12:55 PM
    It is to late to worry about dredging in California or anyplace else for that matter. With the NEW!!! GPAA making money is way more important then mining rights have ever been. For the first time since we joined the GPAA/LDMA there will not be a PLP booth at the Washington show coming next week. The GPAA chapter putting on the show decided they needed all the money instead of splitting it with PLP so you can tell that they have bought in to the NEW!!! GPAA anthem, SCREW THE MINERS we are in this only for the money. The problem with this thinking is after throwing PLP to the curb for the money you will NOT BE ABLE TO MINE, HUNT, 4 WHEEL, FISH, HIKE, RIDE BIKES OF ANY KIND, OR EVEN GO INTO THE "PUBLIC LANDS" FOR ANY REASON. The US Forest Service has gone from protecting OUR "PUBLIC LANDS" to OWNING them and they do not want you on THEIR LANDS. They know this will work because people would much rather just bitch about the problem than do anything about it. The powers that be have all you bitchers figured out. THEY KNOW YOU WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO STOP THIS. Look around, by not doing anything but bitch for the last 10 years YOU HAVE ALREADY LOST.
    BRANDON JOHNSON
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    04 May 2014 06:27 PM

    Terry,

     

    I was very disappointed reading your comments on our forum. I have been in direct contact with Jerry Hobbs and Walt Wagner for years and they assure us that, not only is GPAA/LDMA the only reason they are still around, but we continue to be their largest contributor. GPAA is a public promoter of prospecting, bringing over 10,000 new prospectors of  all ages into prospecting and mining each year. LDMA is a national premium mining membership offering great collective knowledge and friendship to thousands of members. We have a responsibility to protect mining, but to do so you need someone promoting it.

     

    Not many people are going to be effective setting up a booth at a local event screaming threats of doom to encourage people to participate. GPAA is not ignoring the fight for our rights, we are funding it through the contributions of new members who have learned to appreciate prospecting. Chapters are an important part of spreading the love of prospecting locally all over the country. Not only do they get people involved, they fight for rights on the local level and provide valuable education. It is disappointing to see an LDMA member publicly criticize the efforts of a local chapter.

     

    I am confident that if Jerry or Walt were to see your post, they would also recommend a different perspective in the support of our cause.

     

    Regards,

    Brandon Johnson

    Patrick McMinn
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    05 May 2014 08:57 AM

    Hello everyone,

    I thought I might throw in my two cents.

    First off one must remember a house divided cannot stand.

    Second we all must unite and fight together. The quote I saw once said " The only way for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing".

    For the last thought it is apparent to me the reason these big groups are pushing to ban dredging and other related activities

     is because they know small scale mining activities clean up all the heavy metals. If they can eliminate, twist the truth or what ever to get the big gov't cleanup contracts for mercury etc. as stated in an earlier post what do they collect in the process, yes that's right GOLD right along with the bad.

    Nice scam get paid to clean up and get the gold, and in public's eye be the hero.

     Just a thought.

    BRAD JONES
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    06 May 2014 12:59 PM
    Reference on the benefits of suction dredge mining, “Dredging doesn’t harm fish, experts say” — http://www.prweb.com/rele...2/4/prweb9379015.htm
    cole sturgis
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    06 May 2014 06:18 PM
    hi  there im a new member and im fighting to run a hibanker in Montana but we are making head way and we are going after the local sheriff he can make it legal in his county to do what the public says should happen we just got the sheriff to open the forservice  locked gates the sheriff can stop the federal gov from making laws in his county
    BRAD JONES
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    06 May 2014 06:51 PM
    Cole, Yes many sheriffs have spoken out about the over-regulation. There is a group called Oath Keepers which consists of sheriffs who have pledged to keep their oath to uphold the Constitution.
    cole sturgis
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    06 May 2014 07:34 PM
    yes there is and I didn't know that the sheriff had the power to stop this stuff till they turned the wolfs loose in Idaho and after they did I found out that the sheriff could have stoped that but from what I am hearing the people of the us are getting tired of this stuff but I do feel for you guys there is no way I would ever live in cali  
    JOHN DORVAL
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    07 May 2014 04:51 PM
    The way I see it is we as prospectors need to stick together, we need to stand up for our rights, not just complain, we need to take action, show up at public hearings, get our written testimonies on record with scientific data attached, contact our elected officials and let them know that we oppose this legislation in the states we live in and also other states as well. We also have to adopt the tactics that the greenies like Trout Unlimited, Fish not Gold, River Keepers etc. are using to shut down prospecting, they use the media to spread their lies, we need to use it to spread the truth. They have friends in high places, we need to find these kind of friends as well. We need to educate the public on the environmental good we do after all we are the only group cleaning toxic metals from America's water ways, we do it for free maybe we should start getting government grants to dredge and use permits to do so from the Army Corps of Engineers in the name of environmentalism. We need to beat them or else gold prospecting will be shut down across America, gold prospecting clubs will be a thing of the past. I am not willing to let this happen without a fight.
    JOHN DORVAL
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    07 May 2014 04:54 PM
    Just remember to vote against those politicians that want to take away our rights to prospect on election day.
    BRAD JONES
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    27 May 2014 05:21 PM

    The full story on the California dredging ban court hearing May 1 is now online: http://www.goldprospector...-Dredging-Ban-Ruling

     

    Patrick McMinn
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    19 Jun 2014 09:19 AM

     

     

     Boy! in my own backyard

    Here's a link to check out. I sure hope they made sure the equipment doesn't leak oil, diesel or hydraulic fluid, oh and I'm sure they have all the permits from EPA and Fish and game.

    Seems they could get spawning pools done by allowing dredging and getting it all done for FREE!

    Another waste of money by Government.

     

    http://www.orovillemr.com...ject-begins-oroville

     

    Rick      

    BRAD JONES
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    24 Jun 2014 11:18 AM

    Public Lands for the People and other mining groups are meeting with Judge Gilbert Ochoa as we speak. The court-ordered Mandatory Settle Conference is now underway. Hopefully, the end of the five-year long statewide ban on suction-dredge mining is near! The closed-court session is the latest development in the ongoing battle between gold miners and radical environmental groups, such as the Center for Biological Diversity, since the state imposed a “two-year moratorium.” Miners argue the moratorium has become a prohibition!

     

    Here is the background on the case: 

    http://www.goldprospector...-Dredging-Ban-Ruling

    http://www.goldprospector...ck-in-the-wall 

    http://www.goldprospector...t-hand-account 

     


     

     

    BRAD JONES
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    09 Aug 2014 03:06 PM
    The court-ordered Mandatory Settlement Conference resumes Sept. 4. Stay tuned for details following these proceedings. Public Lands for the People will have a booth at the Gold & Outdoor Festival set for Aug. 23-24. in Sonora, Calif.
    William Hall
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    11 Aug 2014 03:33 PM
    Brad,

    "court-ordered Mandatory Settlement Conference"

    Is gonna do nothing for us dredgers, just more bla bla bla, delay, delay delay.

    Or worse, ACCESS DENIED


    Bill
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