December 1, 2005 (Washington, DC) - Millions of acres of western public land, including popular destinations in National Monuments and Wilderness Areas, could soon be put up for sale by legislation under consideration in Congress. The potential impacts of this mining-related provision on National Parks and National Forests has garnered some national media attention, but a recent analysis shows that the proposed sell-off also threatens many of the most unique and treasured lands protected by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
The proposed mining legislation, which was tucked into the House version of the budget reconciliation bill by Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo (R-CA), would revise an 1872 mining law and authorize the sale of federal public lands. Under the legislation, lands and waters of the BLM’s National Landscape Conservation System would be made available for private purchase if there is a pre-existing mining claim. New mining claims would be permitted in Wilderness Study Areas and on BLM lands outside of the Conservation System. A conservative estimate of the provision’s reach is at least 6 million acres of federal land, including thousands of acres of pre-existing claims within National Monuments, Wilderness Areas, and along Wild and Scenic Rivers.
“Most Americans assume, for good reason, that our National Monuments and other national conservation lands are protected forever,” said Dave Alberswerth, Senior Policy Advisor at The Wilderness Society. “That’s how it’s supposed to be. But before most Americans know what happened, this radical plan would sweep away the protections and sell-off large chunks of the public’s finest lands for chump change.”
Mining claims, which could be sold for $1,000 per acre under the House-passed language, are scattered across National Landscape Conservation System land in most western states. For example, the provision would allow private buyers to purchase land in California’s Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, Colorado’s Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area, Idaho’s Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area, and Oregon’s Rogue Wild and Scenic River. Arizona’s Ironwood Forest National Monument has more than 200 pre-existing claims.
“Selling off large pieces of these national treasures would be a loss for every American, and citizens who hear about this extreme proposal are not likely to sit quietly and let it happen,” said Sean McMahon of National Wildlife Federation. “Like the National Park System, our National Landscape Conservation System protects some of the West’s best lands for hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, and exploring. These are the places that make America great, and they belong to all of us.”
Although promoted by proponents as a boon for the mining industry and as “sustainable economic development,” the controversial provision does not require that the purchased land actually be used for mining. In fact, the history of the 1872 Mining Law is replete with instances of mining claims being used for non-mining purposes, such as the development of resorts, tourist facilities, private homes, and even a brothel.
“This bill would make it exceedingly easy for real estate speculators to stake so-called ‘mining claims’ on the public lands, assert that there are minerals on them, go though the purchasing process, acquire the land, and do anything with it. Next thing you know, you’re floating past a McMansion on a wilderness river,” said Quinn McKew of American Rivers.
The National Landscape Conservation System was created to protect the best of the Bureau of Land Management western lands, waters, and historic and archaeological sites. In 2005, the National Trust for Historic Preservation named the entire System one of “America’s Most Endangered Historic Places.”
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