9 months ago AMRA was contacted by 2 miners who were on their claim in Northern California. One man was running a sluice upstream and one man was running a high banker downstream. A DFW (Fish and Wildlife) Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) approached them, took the foot valve from their water pump and threatened to cite them for suction dredging.
The LEO did not give a receipt for the confiscated equipment or a citation that day to either man. 9 months later, these two men were cited for suction dredging via a letter in the mail and to date, they have not gotten their equipment back.
AMRA is representing both of these men for their upcoming case. We thank you for your donations to AMRA, it allows us to help miners just like these two men.
This is also one of the reasons why SB1222, a clarification bill on equipment other than a suction dredge should be passed.
We’ll keep everyone posted as this case develops.