Yet another attempt by activists running our government to eliminate small mining:
Do you know how big 3.8 million acres is? It is nearly the size of Massachusetts. It is 3 times the size of Delaware.
This is the size of the area that is being proposed right now to be eliminated from mineral entry to protect the greater sage-grouse. It will pass unless you step up and tell them no.
We have just written a letter (below) opposing this unbelievable land grab. Ms. Burke, as you will read in the letter is an environmental activist put in as 2nd in command of the Dept of Interior, the folks who are now taking your public lands from you, the public who they are supposed to manage the lands for. Manage the lands…….not dictate, nor remove them from you.
Please send a brief email to this address opposing this horrendous attempt to steal your lands. You do not need to write a novel, a simple “I strongly oppose this withdrawal” is sufficient. If you like more information, it can be found on the BLM website.
sagebrush_withdrawals@blm.gov
You can also mail in your letter to:
BLM Director
1849 C Street NW
Washington DC 20240
To: Marcilynn Burke
Assistant Secretary for Lands and Minerals Management DOI
Dear Ms. Burke, November 12, 2015
I am writing on behalf of over 50,000 small miners who will be severely and adversely affected by your recent decision to designate 3,854,622 acres of public land withdrawn from mineral entry under the guise of protecting the Greater Sage-Grouse. 3.8 million acres is roughly 85% the size of Massachusetts Ms. Burke. In researching the history of this proposal, and your individual history, it brings into question whether you work for the public or are an activist for the environmental movement. It would appear you are ignoring the will of the people when it comes to their lands, not yours. Your personal agenda has no place in public service.
Prior to your controversial appointment, you have actively attempted to circumvent Congress and this issue with the GSG is a glaring example of this activism. I’d like to quote directly from the Energy.Senate.Gov website where United States Senator Lisa Murkowski spoke about why she opposed your appointment:
“Among Murkowski’s reasons for voting against Burke’s nomination during Thursday’s Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee meeting was the fact that she served on the Defenders of Wildlife’s litigation committee from 2005 to 2006, something she didn’t disclose until questioned about it at her first confirmation hearing. For decades, Defenders of Wildlife have repeatedly sued the state of Alaska and DOI over Alaska wildlife management issues.
Burke has also been vocal about her support for designating as wilderness the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. She was also a leading official on DOI’s attempt to circumvent the prohibition on designating new wilderness areas without the express will of Congress”
“Attempting to circumvent the prohibition on designating new wilderness areas without the express will of Congress”. This is America, a Representative Republic Ms. Burke and you are not Congress, nor a member of Congress. Designating giant swaths of public lands off limits and in opposition to the express intent of Congress with the Mining Acts of 1866 and 1872 is not just illegal, but will result in economic impacts to the middle class, the lower middle class and to our country as a whole who is reeling from already failed economic policies.
Many people, predominantly middle class, make their living off of mining valuable minerals on these lands. They rely on the laws set forth to protect these lands for exploration and development and this latest attempt by you is nothing short of giving the finger to tens of thousands of the public who pays your salary. Gold and other valuable minerals mined by these small miners each year helps the overall economy of this nation and provides many rural communities with much needed revenue in this ever increasing attack on the rural communities and middle class of America. People and businesses rely on miners, not just for the valuable minerals they mine, but they also rely on revenue the miners spend at the local hardware stores, gas stations and grocery stores and are closing all across the west because of this outright attack on mining.
On behalf of the over 50,000 small miners impacted by this atrocious and blatant attempt to continue the elimination of “public lands” open to the very people who own the lands, we vehemently oppose this proposal.
Sincerely,
Shannon Poe
President, AMRA American Mining Rights Association