Sugar Pine Mine - BLM's press release

BLM's press release in advance of the Sugar Pine Miners protest has been mostly ignored by media and protestors. On April 22nd, BLM issued a statement saying that the two of their offices would be closed and that the claimants had filed an appeal. The press release noted that other miners in Southwest Oregon with similar concerns have followed legal procedures to resolve their issues:

The BLM is responsible for the oversight of mining operations on federal land, including the Sugar Pine mine near Grants Pass, Oregon. A cabin and equipment were found at the site indicating operations inconsistent with standard requirements for developing mines. The BLM notified the miners that they can file a plan of operations, remove the unauthorized structures, or appeal the BLM’s decision. Mining claimants with similar concerns have routinely followed the legal procedures for resolving similar issues. 

There is nothing in BLM's statement or the agency's notices of non-compliance to the claim holders that doesn't provide the miners with every opportunity to either comply or to appeal BLM's decision. The Sugar Pine Mine owners are deliberately trying create the appearance that the agency has violated their rights. This is not the case.

Read the BLM's full press release here.