"NAS Study Confirms That There is No Need to Rewrite Mining Regulations"

SPOKANE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 30, 1999--The National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences' (NAS) report on Hardrock Mining on Federal Lands confirms that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) does not have any reason for a major rewrite of the 43 CFR 3809 Surface Management regulations governing hardrock mining on public lands.

(NAS's press release may be viewed by clicking here.)

The findings substantiate what the Northwest Mining Association (NWMA) and everyone else has been saying since Department of Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt first began an ill-conceived rulemaking over three years ago.

The NAS Committee on Hardrock Mining on Federal Lands, an independent and diverse group of recognized experts representing a broad range of academic disciplines, has found that the so-called "gaps" in the federal hardrock mining program are not primarily regulatory, and do not justify the changes proposed by Secretary Babbitt on Feb. 9, 1999. Rather, the study shows a real need for enhanced funding for current mining programs, as well as consistent management, increased personnel levels, and improved information management systems.

The NAS findings show that current federal and state regulations that apply to hardrock mining are generally effective in protecting the environment. Major shortcomings reflect the impacts of an understaffed and poorly organized agency. NWMA believes that BLM staff are doing the best job they can considering that their top leadership has made greater use of political science than real, environmental science in shaping agency policy.

"The NAS report tells us that the politicized Department of Interior needs to get its house in order, rather than undertake an unnecessary, costly, and burdensome regulatory initiative," says Laura Skaer, NWMA's Executive Director. "It is useless to duplicate what the states are already doing more efficiently and effectively than the federal government. Secretary Babbitt should stop wasting federal and state taxpayers' money."

NWMA joins U.S. Senators Harry Reid (D-NV) and Frank Murkowski (R-AK) in calling for Secretary Babbitt to withdraw his "one-size-fits-all" approach to regulating the hardrock mining industry in view of the NAS Committee on Hardrock Mining's clear rejection of that approach. It is time for Secretary Babbitt to join Congress and the industry to craft reasonable and constructive amendments to the Mining Law. The mining community supports changes that would provide a fair return to the Federal Treasury, security of title and access to mining claims, and funding of abandoned mine cleanup. Responsible changes would preserve a critical U.S. industry essential to providing the minerals Americans demand on a daily basis, as well as the high paying jobs mining provides.

NWMA and its members look forward to working with Congress, the Western States and the BLM to define and implement reasonable changes in federal mining programs to address the concerns of the NAS. These changes should be within the statutory limits set by Congress and directed at the specific, limited regulatory deficiencies clearly identified in the report.

CONTACT: Northwest Mining Association
Laura Skaer, 509/624-1158

Posted by GMRV on 10/01/99

Nothing has been altered from NWMA's official news release. This information has been posted here for your convience.

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