EASTERN OREGON
MINING ASSOCIATION
NOVEMBER 2018
Volume 350
EASTERN OREGON MINING ASSOCIATION MEETING
Meetings are held on the first Friday of the month. The next meeting is Friday, NOVEMBER 2ND 2018 at the Baker City Hall. The building is located at 1st and Auburn Streets in Baker City. The Board meeting starts at 6:00 PM. The general meeting starts at 6:30 PM. Everyone is welcome to attend these meetings. There is time for discussing mining and getting to know other miners. As usual there will be a drawing for a $50 silver medallion at the meeting!
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Winter is on its way-always too soon for us that still want to be mining. After draining pumps and finishing fall reclamation work, it is time to reflect on the past season and look forward to prospecting and mining next season. There is a renewed interest in exploration for minerals and raw materials, such as cobalt, copper, and lithium that are needed to produce advanced technologies. Support for developing our own natural resources rather than relying on other countries is growing stronger. Plans have to be made and permits obtained. Unfortunately, Oregon’s current governor has adopted the method of requiring a permit and then completely refusing to issue the needed permit.
Oregon’s governor, Kate Brown, refused to fund the DEQ position for issuing new WPCF 600 permits, leaving many miners without the necessary state permit. Her anti mining bias is reflected in DOGAMI’s inability to issue permits in a timely manner. Oregon citizens deserve better than Kate Brown. Knute Buehler is a better choice for governor. Representative Greg Walden, and State Senator Cliff Bentz, have shown their support for mining. County chair Bill Harvey has been instrumental in supporting Baker County’s access and multiple use of federally managed land that makes up over half of Baker County. It is so important that each of us votes.
APPLICANT STATUS FOR MINERS WITH OPERATIONS IN THE POWDER EIS
Any miners with operations in either bull trout critical habitat (such as Cracker Creek and Deer Creek) or occupied bull trout habitat (such as Silver Creek, Lake Creek and Salmon Creek) have an opportunity to request “applicant status”. What this means is you will have the chance to read and comment on the Forest Service Biological Assessment (BA) and the USFW Biological Opinion (BO). These documents will contain mitigation measures that the Forest Service will add to your Plan of Operation. Thus, it is important to be able to view and comment on these before the USFW Service adopts them in their BO. Call Ray Lovisone at 541-523-1345 if you have questions or need clarification about the status of your operation.
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR ISSUES ORDER TO AVOID SETTLEMENTS AND ADD TRANSPARENCY
The new policies increase public input in the settlement process, slow it down, and help the EPA and Interior Department avoid paying unwarranted environmental groups’ lawyers’ fees. The Trump administration says the new rules will help prevent government agencies from colluding with environmental groups to reach settlements that favor their interests. Critics say these rules only delay the implementation of federal laws designed to protect the environment, leaving ecosystems and wildlife vulnerable while agencies drag their feet.
The agencies’ policy reforms, which include a requirement for a public comment period prior to settlement and the creation of an online database of agreements, are in response to a practice called “sue and settle.” Often, groups that sue the federal government negotiate agreements that keep cases from going to court; these settlements allow environmental groups to set precedence while avoiding a costly trial.
EOMA experienced “sue and settle” in its lawsuit against Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality, which is the State arm of EPA. DEQ “settled” with environmental group lawyers and paid them thousands of dollars. Meanwhile DEQ kept stalling court proceedings through legal actions while EOMA continued to spend money to try and get justice in the courts.
UPDATE ON REISSUING GENERAL DEQ 600 WPCF PERMITS
DEQ’s website states a new fee schedule will be established by November 1, 2018, thus, providing funds for the permitting Department. However, as Beth Moore informed me, “DEQ does not have the funds for this 600 general permit that would support a permitting effort to renew or revise this permit” So miners are still in a bad situation for 2019 if they do not already have a permit.
FOREST SERVICE PROPOSES INCREASED CONSISTENCY WITH BLM’S SURFACE MINING REGULATIONS
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service published Advance Notices announcing its plan to revise two parts of the agency’s regulations. Some excerpts from my comments are as follows:
“I worked for the Forest Service as a mining technician for 20 years, and am very familiar with the 228 regulations as they apply to the small-scale mining industry. The 228 regulations, as written, are interpreted by one ranger in one manner, and by another ranger in another manner. The word “discretion” must be removed from the Forest Service regulations. Also, the Forest Service has no timeframes in the regulations that dictate when they must get their work done. Their existing regulations give them 90 days to approve a Plan of Operation, and since they can’t comply with this timeframe because NEPA takes a lot longer than 90 days, they just figure they have no timeframes. The regulations must be specific concerning time frames for authorizations/approvals of Notices and Plans and there should be consequences for not meeting these timeframes.
The highlight of the changes proposed would be to adopt an expeditious process for reviewing proposed exploration operations affecting 5 acres or less of National Forest system lands. This change would be similar to a BLM Notice, which is not subject to NEPA, will take 30 days instead of 10 years to authorize.
I recommend strongly that the USFS separate this provision from the rest of the proposed rulemaking and immediately send it to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a determination of “non-significance” and proceed to publish it in the Federal Register as soon as that determination is made. Since the USFS is adopting a regulation similar to what BLM has been using for almost 20 years, it should be able to obtain a “non-significant” determination”.
If the Forest Service does not have to write an EIS on adopting similar regulations to what BLM uses for Notice level operations, we could see immediate relief from waiting 10 years to get a Plan of Operation for exploration approved. We need to let Sonny Perdue know how important this change would be to conducting exploration on the National Forests.
EAST EAGLE CREEK BRIDGE UPDATE-Jan Alexander
All permits are in place, except for Army Corps, but that should be issued shortly. The County had equipment on site, and was ready to get the foundation repair work started, but then that last permit did not come through as expected, and the weather was supposed to change for the worse. If we don’t get a snow storm, the repair work will happen this fall. If the weather deteriorates, the work will have to wait until next fall when there are low flows again.
AMERICAN EXPLORATION&MINING ANNUAL MEETING DECEMBER DEC 2-7
The convention this year will be in Spokane, Washington at the Spokane Convention Center. The short courses and technical sessions are informative, the venders in the convention hall have the latest information on new technologies, mining equipment and who is mining where in the USA. Really exciting this year is the Thursday luncheon guest speaker, Secretary of the Interior, Ryan Zinke. Secretary Zinke is the bright spot for mining in America.
A fifth-generation Montanan and former U.S. Navy SEAL Commander, Ryan Zinke built one of the strongest track records in the 114th Congress on championing sportsmen’s access, conservation, regulatory relief, forest management, responsible energy development, and smart management of federal lands.
“As a former Navy SEAL, Ryan has incredible leadership skills and an attitude of doing whatever it takes to win,” President Donald Trump said in nominating the former congressman, who built an impressive portfolio on Interior issues ranging from federal mineral leases to tribal affairs to public lands conservation.
Zinke is widely praised for his voting record supporting the Teddy Roosevelt philosophy of managing public lands, which calls for multiple-use to include economic, recreation and conservation. He has pledged to explore every possibility for safely and responsibly repealing bad regulations and using public natural resources to create jobs and wealth for the American people.
As Secretary of the Interior, Zinke leads an agency with more than 70,000 employees who are stewards for 20 percent of the nation’s lands, including national parks, monuments, wildlife refuges and other public lands. The department oversees the responsible development of conventional and renewable energy supplies on public lands and waters; is the largest supplier and manager of water in the 17 Western states; and upholds trust responsibilities to the 567 federally recognized American Indian tribes and Alaska Natives.
Zinke was commissioned as an officer in the Navy in 1985 and was soon selected to join the elite force where he would build an honorable career until his retirement in 2008. He retired with the rank of Commander after leading SEAL operations across the globe, including as the Deputy and Acting Commander of Joint Special Forces in Iraq and two tours at SEAL Team Six. Zinke was the first Navy SEAL elected to the U.S. House and is the first SEAL to serve as a cabinet secretary.
Zinke holds a Geology degree from the University of Oregon, where he was an All-PAC 10 football player; a Master’s degree in Business Finance from National University; and a Master’s degree in Global Leadership from the University of San Diego. He and his wife Lolita (Lola) have three children and two granddaughters. Zinke is proud to be an adopted member of the Assiniboine Sioux Tribe at the Fort Peck Reservation in Northeast Montana.
2018 EOMA SILVER MEDALLIONS FOR SALE
We still have 2018 medallions available. They are currently selling for $50.00 apiece plus $5.00 shipping, handling, and insurance. (Prices are subject to change). You can order yours from the EOMA website and pay by pay-pal. Or, you can send $50 plus $5.00 shipping and handling to EOMA, Medallions, PO Box 932, Baker City, OR 97814, or call 541-523-3285. Also, you can buy them at our EOMA meetings.
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EOMA ADVERTISING AND SALE LISTINGS
For Sale In Boise
1. Multi Quip 3/8 yard cement mixer Model MC-94P with Honda 8 hp motor. It has a polyurethane drum and is on a single axel for easy towing. It is an ex Home Depot rental unit. Asking $1,500.00. Call Jack at 208-284-5882
2. Syntron Magnetic Vibrator Model V-50-01. This is a fairly husky unit that bolts on to bine, chutes where material being fed does not flow smoothly. I used it to move material out of bins and chutes. It is single phase and draws 4.5 amps.
3. Krebs Hydrocyclones, 1 Model D4 and 1 Model D6, which I used to thicken my fine tailings. I have specs and installation instructions from Krebs. Asking $250.00 each. Call Jack at 208-284-5882
4. Portable 2 inch Water pump with 3.5hp Honda gas engine. $100.00. Call Jack at 208-284-5882
5. Sample Splitters, one with 22 slots, 3/4 inch wide, @ $150.00; and one with 12 slots, 5/8 inch wide, @$100.00.
6. Transformer,480/240/120 volt, 3phase or single phase. $150.00. Call Jack at 208-284-5882
7. S+S Controls Heavy Duty Motor Starter, 3 phase, 480 /220 volt. Rated for motor horsepower up to 55 horse. $350.00. Call Jack at 208-284-5882
8. Wilden 1 1/2 inch Chemical Solution Polyethylene Pump Model M4/Pt/Tf/Tf/Pt s/n 364361. New condition, never used. Air driven. $500.00. Call Jack at 208-284-5882
9. Onan 75kw Generator, older but with very low hours. Recently installed updated exciter circuit. $6,500.00. Call Jack at 208-284-5882.
FOR SALE: BURNT BRIDGE CLAIM
This 20 Acre claim is located on the North Fork of the Burnt River in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Burnt River Road runs parallel to the river from one end of the claim to the other offering excellent access to the river and campsite. Claim contains over ¼ mile of river open to dredging. Copies of approved 2017 DEQ permit 600 PM and 2017 DEQ 700 PM (4” suction dredge) available. This claim is for sale for $2500. Contact Joe Toce email: toceja@hotmail.com
OPPORTUNITY
Looking for someone mechanically inclined to learn and run a hard rock gold mill. One may be available for scrap price. Time to pass on the technology and know-how. Need a younger working partner and gold ore to run. Dr. Thom: tseal@unr.edu
FOR SALE
Ed Hardt is selling his placer mining equipment. Ed's trommel is 20 feet long, 5 feet in diameter, gear driven, positive drive. It will process up to 100 yards a day, will not slip or spin out. Also, one three-inch pump, a two-inch pump, two and three inch flat hose, and a generator. Call 541-377-9209 or email Ed at twohardts@hotmail.com. Price for all is $15,000.
FOR SALE
Patsy and Randy Stockam are moving to Alabama in the next few months and have some mining equipment to sell. A Gold Grabber Highbanker with pump and hose. Asking $600.00. Text Patsy at 541-786-1080 if you are interested.
GOLD CLAIMS FOR SALE (3)
5 unpatented placer claims (160 acres) located on Elk Creek near Baker City.
Sale includes all equipment (2 excavators, dump truck, trommel, pumps, generators, etc).
Site was featured on the cover of ICMJ’s Prospecting and Mining Journal (August 2014).
Approved Plan of Operation with US Forest Service in place and can be transferred (expires 2021)
DEQ process permit goes with the sale of the claims. For price, pictures and details, call Don Enright, 509-860-1145 or email: donaldenright25@gmail.com
FOR SALE TWO 80 ACRE ASSOCIATION PLACER CLAIMS (5)
Because of health reasons, we are selling our two 80 acre Association Placer Claims. These two claims are the last two claims on the top end of Elk Creek, a short distance from Baker City. A road goes through most of it. Sell for $7,000 each, will take gold, silver or will sell for a lesser price for cash. Call Ken at 541-519-9497 or Chuck at 541-310-8510.
NATIVE SPIRIT 60 ACRE CLAIM FOR SALE
This claim is located on McCully Creek on the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest just west of the town of Sumpter. Good access, off-channel water is available for processing. DEQ process permit goes with the sale of the claim. Plan of Operation is scheduled to be approved for 2019 work. Call Charles Stewart at 541-910-5435 for more information.
CARETAKER POSITION AVAILABLE
Wanted: Full time caretaker for remote property about 20 miles from John Day, Oregon. Primitive, well insulated house, wood heat only, good water from spring. Off the grid, power from gas generator if needed. ¼ mile level driveway off county maintained road. Must have own chain saw, 4 x 4 vehicle with chains, cut own firewood, and help with chores. Inquire by e-mail (tseal@unr.edu) or by mail to Caretaker, PO Box 8353, Spring Creek, NV 89815.
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