Mining public lands: Under problem law, there's nothing in it for the taxpayer

On January 9, 2012, the Secretary of Interior (Ken Salazar) signed a decision withdrawing National Forest and BLM lands surrounding Grand Canyon National Park from operation of the 1872 Mining Law. The decision does not prohibit uranium mining on valid existing claims but does prohibit the location of new mining claims and requires that existing claims meet all the requirements of law.

The Colorado River as it flows through the Grand Canyon National Park. National Park Service photo.

The issues of mineral withdrawal and mining are important to Southwest Oregon because we have some of the last best rivers in the nation, the highest concentration of rare plants in Oregon and one of the highest in North America and these non-mineral values are threatened by mining. Local mining proponents boast of vastly exaggerated economic benefits at public meetings. They've even convinced a few elected officials. But the evidence tells a different story.

Living on Earth's Bruce Gellerman interviewed Jane Danowitz, Director of Public Lands for the Pew Environment Group on January 13, 2012.  She capsulizes some of the longstanding injustices and taxpayer ripoffs of the mining law in a few sentences.

DANOWITZ: I think one of the real problems here is that the United States still has a law in its books that was signed by Ulysses S. Grant in 1872, that does govern the mining of gold, uranium and other so-called hard-rock metals. And under that law, corporations, including those that are foreign-owned, can go almost anywhere on U.S. public lands, including places that are in close proximity to National Parks, and in National Forests, and mine.

And to add insult to injury, the metals that they can take, including gold and uranium, they can take for free without taxpayer compensation. This is in contrast to what oil and gas and coal companies have done for decades and that is, pay the federal treasury royalties.

GELLERMAN: So what’s in it for the U.S. taxpayer if we’re giving away these mineral rights for free? 

DANOWITZ: Well, there’s nothing in it for the US taxpayer because not only are they giving away precious metals for free, but they’re bearing a significant burden of cleanup costs. The EPA - Environmental Protection Agency - just came out with new figures that found that once again the mining industry is the number one emitter of toxic pollutants in the country. And so, therefore, not only taxpayers are losing precious metals, but they’re also having to pay for cleanup for the environment.

You can listen to the full public radio program here.