House Could Alter 19th Century Mining Law

[WhiteTara]

These bastards will never stop as long as they are alive! I can not tell you the depths of my loathing.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051110/ap_on_go_co/selling_mining_lands

By JOHN HEILPRIN, Associated Press Writer
2 hours, 37 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - As many as 20 million acres of public land could be sold under an obscure but sweeping change in mining law tucked into a budget bill up for a vote in the House.

A provision in the bill would overturn a congressional ban on letting mineral companies and individuals buy public lands, including some in national forests and parks, at cheap prices if they contain mineral deposits.

"If this provision became law, it could literally lead to the privatization of millions of acres of public land, including national park and national forest land," said Dave Alberswerth, public lands director for The Wilderness Society.

A vote on the overall bill could come as early as Thursday.

(I don't know if that Thursday means today or next Thursday...but I'm guessing it is today!)

[texpatriot2004]

1. Anyone know the name of the bill? Or who is working to pass this

piece of crap legislation?

[WhiteTara]

4. this is the first I have heard of it

and I am feeling a bit wild over it. Sell off our lands now to their friends? NO NO NO NO

[texpatriot2004]

6. They really infuritate me by F-ing with the PARKS and Forests. nt

[gulfcoastliberal]

2. This should be filibustered.

It's not a judicial hearing so the repugs can fuck off.

[WhiteTara]

5. here are the pukes who are spearheading this nightmare

The new language lowers the threshold for obtaining a permit and generally mirrors what the National Mining Association advocated. Luke Popovich, a spokesman for the trade group, said those changes would help boost rural Western economies by drawing investment "in areas where mining companies are clearly the high-wage employers."

Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., chairman of the House Resources energy and mineral resources subcommittee, said the law needed to be changed because "continuously suspending the patent process is not a solution, it is merely a temporary fix."

"Patenting and purchase of lands is absolutely vital to the health of Nevada's rural communities because it expands the tax base of the local government, which in turn funds schools, emergency services and other infrastructure," he said.

However, Rep. Nick Rahall (news, bio, voting record) of West Virginia, the senior Democrat on the committee, said the mining provision "would result in a blazing fire sale of federal lands" to U.S. and international companies.

[Angry Girl]

8. And we would all work in the mines...

Lovely prospect.

[Judi Lynn]

26. Here's his photo:Good old Patriot Gibbons, who wants to sell irreplaceable

public lands to businesses.



Leave it to Republicans to find new ways to plunder our country, and rape the citizens.

[VegasWolf]

3. Then we would have to pay to see the Haliburton Grand Canyon!! nt

[Angry Girl]

7. I think it's next thursday.... Kick! KICK! KICK!!!!!

They paved paradise and put up a parking lot....

[WhiteTara]

12. Gibbons of Nev and Palombo of CA are spearheading

Here are two of the bastards.

Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., chairman of the House Resources energy and mineral resources subcommittee, said the law needed to be changed because "continuously suspending the patent process is not a solution, it is merely a temporary fix."

Time to call, call, call, call his office Voice: 202-225-6155 · Fax: [phone]
then of course, we have to get on the ball and call our reps and let them know it is in there. I would bet none of them know.

then of course here is the other puker
House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo, R-Calif., and other committee members want to lift the ban preventing anyone from applying for a new patent application. They propose raising the price to $1,000 per acre or "fair market value," whichever is more. That doesn't take into account the value of the minerals the lands might contain.

This appears to be the bill number Patent Reform Act of 2005 (Introduced in House), but these two bills should be researched also Federal Mineral Development and Land Protection Equity Act of 2005 (Introduced in House)
2 . Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (Reported in House)


Here is the lone democrat trying to push back the tide
However, Rep. Nick Rahall (news, bio, voting record) of West Virginia, the senior Democrat on the committee, said the mining provision "would result in a blazing fire sale of federal lands" to U.S. and international companies.

This is important, please keep kicking and calling and kicking and calling.

[blindpig]

27. It's Pombo time again.

He's one busy little sob, trying to destroy as much of the Earth as possible before he does the perp walk or is otherwise driven from office.

He is not at all good for my karma. I'm thinking very bad thoughts.

I would dance joyously on his grave.

[WhiteTara]

28. I'll bring the champagne and join

you in the dance. :waltzing on his grave:

[WilliamPitt]

9. So that's why they backed off on ANWR

That's chump change compared to what could be gained from this little maneuver.

TR is reaching for his rifle somewhere.

[Democat]

10. Democrats had better filibuster this or do whatever they can to stop it

These are the issues where we can not lose the American public.

Republicans are trying to sell off the National Parks to corporations who donate to Republicans. That is a simple message that every voter in American will understand.

There is no excuse for Democrats not to use every trick in the book to stop this and get great exposure in the media while doing it.

We can make Republicans look very bad and we can win on this issue if Democrats are willing to stand up and fight.

[wordpix]

15. agreed, now let's come up with a good slogan like:

"Yours or mine: Republicans want to sell off public lands to the mining industry."

[blue neen]

11. This is disgusting, an outrage.

"Up to 6 million acres of public lands--those where some 300,000 active mining claims are staked now, could be "patented" under the mining law provision. That includes Western deserts and high prairies, national forests and national parks. There are 900 preexisting mining claims on national parks alone, mostly in California and Alaska."

"But officials with the Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management, which oversees the mining claims, estimate the amount of public lands that the law could potentially allow to be sold off ranges as high as 15 to 20 million acres."

WE CAN'T LET THIS HAPPEN! CONTACT YOUR CONGRESSPERSON! :grr:

I hope Robert Kennedy is working to fight this.

[blue neen]

13. I called my congressman, John Murtha (D-PA)

I also called Rep. Petersen (R-PA). We have a camp in Warren County that borders on the Allegheny National Forest. That's Rep. Petersen's territory.

What makes this even more despicable is that they tacked this on to the budget bill. Lousy bastards.

[wordpix]

18. I'll call my rep, too, Nancy Johnson (R-CT) Little good it will do, tho

[blue neen]

24. That's the way I felt about calling Petersen.

But, these people need to hear from us. They have got to be hearing footsteps (the voters) after Tuesday's results, but you never know!
Some of them are pretty dense.

[indepat]

14. Who would benefit? The public?

[wordpix]

16. looks like anyone holding a "patent" benefits, which can be used to sell

real estate:

"Once a patent is granted, the law does not let the government challenge a company if it drops its plan to mine at a site and resells the property as real estate.

Up to 6 million acres of public lands — those where some 300,000 active mining claims are staked now — could be "patented" under the mining law provision. That includes Western deserts and high prairies, national forests and national parks. There are 900 preexisting mining claims on national parks alone, mostly in California and Alaska.

But officials with the Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management, which oversees the mining claims, estimate the amount of public lands that the law could potentially allow to be sold off ranges as high as 15 million to 20 million acres.
"

[indepat]

22. Well we can take comfort that the general public will have an equal shot

at this acreage and that we the people will receive a fair/market value for all land sold.

[Bridget Burke]

31. Great sarcasm there!

Yup--we'll all benefit!

[Democat]

25. Republican donors

Who else?

[wordpix]

17. KICK !!!

[brentspeak]

19. Bush's "ownership society"

Where rich cronies own society.

[rodeodance]

20. so, who will take it out at this late date?

[VegasWolf]

21. But, but, look at all the new jobs for illegal immigrants!! nt

[John Q. Citizen]

23. Kick!

[annabanana]

29. A big, stealth land grab...

Everyone had better evolve themselves some eyes in the back of their heads. How can you watch out for these fuckers with only two eyes?

[WhiteTara]

30. I woke up with this on my mind

and I am kicking this again. There is no news on this at all!
:kick::kick::kick:

[UndergroundRadical]

32. Just another excuse to destroy our last intact great forests....

This is just another attempt by big-mining to use their lobbying money to grease the wheels in Congress to get their "land." What that really means is stealing our beautiful national forests and national preserves to make a really cheap and quick buck. Typical corporate sellout.

[WhiteTara]

33. Shameless Saturday morning kick

:kick: this is such an important issue, we need to be calling and screaming bloody murder!

[wordout]

34. The buyer is...

Prince Charles