EASTERN OREGON
MINING ASSOCIATION
MARCH 2021
Volume 378
EOMA INTERNET ADDRESS: http://www.h2oaccess.com/
IF YOU HAVEN’T PAID YOUR DUES
THIS MAY BE YOUR LAST NEWSLETTER
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
MARCH 5TH, 2021 MEETING AT ELK CREEK ENTERPRISES
Many thanks to Alice Knapp for letting us continue to meet at the saw shop while City Hall is not available for meetings. We will have a meeting on MARCH 5TH, 2021 at the Elk Creek Enterprises saw shop located at 890 Elm Street. There is a big TIMBERUNITY sign in the window. The Board Meeting will begin at 6:00PM with the regular meeting following at 6:30PM. Don’t forget, we will give away a $50 dollar silver medallion at the end of the meeting. Come to the meeting, buy a ticket, support EOMA and who knows, you may get lucky!
YOUR MEMBERSHIP DUES WERE DUE JANUARY 1ST
If you can’t pay in person, please send your $35 dues ($40 for a couple) to the EOMA, PO Box 932, Baker City OR 97814. You should also be able to pay with a credit card or pay pal on our website. www.h2oaccess.com This year the Oregon Legislature is controlled by a Democratic super majority, so we will need all the help we can get to keep anti-mining bills from being passed.
EOMA ELECTIONS ARE COMING UP MARCH 5, 2021
EOMA Executive Committee members serve one-year terms. Board of Directors members serve two-year terms, with half the Board members running for election alternate years. You must be a paid-up member to vote. A ballot is included in this newsletter for those who are unable to attend the March meeting. Be sure your ballot is returned to EOMA, PO Box 932, Baker City OR 97814 before the March 5 meeting.
SB192: THREE MILLION ACRES-NO NEW MINING CLAIMS-Ken Alexander
Senators Wyden and Merkley’s River Democracy Act of 2021, Senate Bill 192, is actually a three-million-acre land use lockup. And it is a death knell for future prospecting and mining.
This proposal is to blanket designate as either, wild, scenic or recreational, “nearly 4,700 miles of rivers in all corners of Oregon”. It would change the land use designation of more than three million acres in Oregon, by enforcing a buffer ½ mile wide on each side of the waterways’ high-water mark. This means that at least an entire section of ground, 640 acres, per river mile, will be eliminated from any activity which is not allowed under the Wild and Scenic River Act. This “interim” land withdrawal will last for at least 6 years until a comprehensive management plan is completed. The economic effect of this bill will be devastating to an economy that is already suffering. Many streams listed in this bill are not found to be in “near natural condition, with all, or almost all, of their natural values intact”. Mile wide unmanaged stream corridors will be vulnerable to wildfires, which will impact water quality for decades. Detailed studies of each of these river segments should have been completed before any of the waterways were proposed. The local citizens should have had input into these designations. This bill needs to be either dropped, or a whole lot of work and consultation must take place in order to avoid serious consequences to areas affected by this more than three-million-acre land lockup.
S.B 192-NORTH FORK BURNT RIVER MINERAL WITHDRAWAL? -Ken Alexander
Here in Baker County, the North Fork of the Burnt River is one of the rivers designated in this Bill. Over ten thousand acres along the North Fork will be affected. Many EOMA members have claims in the North Fork Burnt River watershed. There are active mining claims up and down the North Fork Burnt River, portions of the river flow through old bucket-line dredge tailings where the water goes subsurface. There are roads, ditches, and old mine workings. This river is not in “near natural condition, with all, or almost all, of their natural values intact”. SB192 will prohibit any future mining claims, and control current mining operations, water diversions and ditches, and control any logging and grazing that is not allowed under the Wild and Scenic River Act.
S.B 192-LOWER BURNT RIVER FREE-FLOWING?-Ken Alexander
Many EOMA members also have claims on Lower Burnt River, another river segment that in no way qualifies for inclusion under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Burnt River streamflows are completely controlled by releases of water from Unity Reservoir. How could this be considered a “free flowing river” as required by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act? If the ranchers of the area had not built, and paid for Unity dam, there would be no flow of water in the Burnt River below Bridgeport in the late summer, as verified by USGS records. And now, Wyden and Merkley want to include this man-made river as a “natural free-flowing river” under the S.B. 192 as a “recreational river”. Oregon’s Senators need to consider the sacrifices the people on the ground made, when they worked hard to make this water available for multiple uses. This man-made flow of water has supported and continues to support all kinds of productive uses including recreation. It does not need to be listed.
WRITE SENATOR WYDEN AND SENATOR MERKLEY
The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act states the following: “Designation as a wild and scenic river is our nation’s strongest form of protection for free-flowing rivers and streams.” They have remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic or other similar values”. The Burnt River is not free flowing, as it depends upon water releases at Unity Dam. The North Fork Burnt River isn’t either, since sections of this waterway go subsurface during the summer. Neither of these river segments has any endangered fish, lampreys, salmon, or anadromous fish. Their outstanding geologic value lies in the minerals that are currently being mined under the General Mining Law of 1872, as amended. Designating four thousand seven hundred miles of rivers in Oregon for protection under the Wild and Scenic River Act is an abuse of the intent of the Act as it was meant to be applied. Removing three million acres in Oregon from multiple uses is far too aggressive.
Please tell Senators Wyden and Merkley that SB 192 needs to be dropped. Their websites have phone numbers and e-mail addresses. Or you can always mail them a letter.
Sen. Ron Wyden https://www.wyden.senate.gov/contact/email-ron
221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg. Washington Phone 202 224 5244
Washington D.C. 20515
Sen. Jeff Merkley https://www.merkley.senate.gov/contact
313 Hart Senate Office Bldg. Washington Phone 202 224 3753
Washington D.C. 20510
Congressman Cliff Bentz https://bentz.house.gov/contact
1239 Longworth House Office Bldg. Washington Phone 202 225 6730
Washington D.C. 20515
MSHA CLASSES
Three annual refresher classes are scheduled. There will be an 8-hour annual refresher on March 5, 2021 and an annual refresher on March 6, 2021. There will also be an annual refresher on April 23, 2021. You must register for each class by calling Jan Alexander at 541-446-3413
New Miner Training is scheduled for April 23, 24 and 25. Again, you must register by calling Jan Alexander at 541-446-3413.
GENEROUS DONATION
The Eastern Oregon Mining Association has been blessed with the support of our members over the years, but none can match the continued, generous support we have gotten from Louis Hill. Our heartfelt thanks go out to you!
REGULATORY FREEZE MEMORANDUM-AE&MA
As is customary with a change in administration, on the first day of the Biden Administration White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain issued a “Regulatory Freeze” memo to executive departments and agencies. Notwithstanding some narrow exceptions, as part of the freeze:
• No additional rules may be proposed or issued until reviewed and approved by a department or agency head;
• Rules that have been sent to the Office of the Federal Register but not published are immediately withdrawn for review; and
• Rules that have been published but are not yet effective will likely be postponed for a minimum of 60-days.
Miners with projects in the Powder Mining EIS were sent a letter explaining that the EIS would be republished in the Federal Register, and that there would be a 60-day delay before advancing to the draft phase. What this means is, it is unlikely miners in the Powder watershed will be approved to work this season.
AE&MA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
As we put 2020 in the rearview mirror, I’m reminded how thankful I am for the support of the AEMA membership. For an organization with a business model based on bringing the industry together, 2020 was a tough year due to COVID-19. Though we all have grown more accustomed to convening virtually, it doesn’t replace the face-to-face interaction and networking accomplished at our Annual Meeting and other events throughout the year. Being forced to convert our Annual Meeting in December to a virtual format also took its toll on the AEMA budget. Thankfully, strong sponsor support for the virtual convention, and tremendous membership dues support since then will help keep your Association in a position to tackle the challenges ahead.
Looking forward to 2021 and the years ahead, there is no shortage of challenges for our industry. We will be working to protect and extend the gains we have made the past four years in terms of permitting reform. We also will certainly be playing defense against legislative and judicial threats to the U.S mining industry, especially with fundamentals to the Mining Law being challenged.
Of course, with challenges also come opportunities. With the Biden Administration now in office and control of the U.S. Senate shifting, already there is a heavy focus on climate change as well as social and environmental justice. Fortunately, the mining industry has a great story to tell. As the beginning of the supply chain for nearly everything, domestic mining will be key to meeting clean energy goals. And nowhere on Earth is mining accomplished in a more environmentally responsible manner, with a focus on safety and community sustainability.
AEMA’s staff, in conjunction with the volunteer leadership of our standing committees and Board of Trustees, is currently fine-tuning our engagement strategy with the Biden Administration and the 117th Congress. As we embark on the new year and face the challenges ahead, know that AEMA has your back. Thank you for having ours.
FOREST SERVICE RELEASES DRAFT OF 228 REGULATIONS REVIIONS-AE&MA
The U.S. Forest Service recently issued a prepublication version of its proposed update to its locatable minerals regulations under 36 CFR Part 228A. AEMA has long advocated for revisions to the 228A regs to make them more consistent with BLM’s 3809 regulations, particularly with regard to a notice-level category for exploration activities. AEMA made comments on the Forest Service’s Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. It is unclear at this time what, if anything, the Biden Administration will do with this proposal.
PRESIDENT BIDEN’S CABINET -AEM&A
Confirmed
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin
Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen
Secretary of State Tony Blinken
Nominated
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg
Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm
Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland
Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh
Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo
EPA Michael Regan
Attorney General Merrick Garland
Small Business Admin.n Isabel Guzman
Office of Management and Budget Neera Tanden
Council on Environmental Quality Brenda Mallory
U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai
Already Hired - No Confirmation Needed
USFS Vicki Christiansen (will be retained)
No Nomination Yet
Assistant Secretary for Natural Resources
BLM Director
Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health
BIDEN’S EXECUTIVE ORDERS
Here is a short list of what Biden has done so far with just two of his thirty-two Executive orders, quickly stopping what Trump was trying to do to bring vast Federal agency power under a little bit of control. Biden’s two Executive Orders actually revoked ten of Trump’s Executive Orders.
1. Revoked orders of the Trump administration’s 2-for-1 regulatory policy, which required agencies to eliminate two old regulations for each new regulation issued.
2. Revoked a requirement that Federal agencies provide the public with fair notice of regulations.
3. Revoked a requirement that agencies consider cost reduction efforts in administrative actions.
4. Revoked efforts to streamline collective bargaining activities and reduce associated taxpayer costs, and a bid to expedite removal procedures for poor-performing federal employees.
MLRS UPDATE: NOTE THESE CHANGES-Jan Alexander
Under the new system, when claims are received by BLM, they go into the system as “filed”, rather than “active” like in the old system. The Case Disposition is set to “Under Review” when the claim is assigned to an adjudicator. As soon as the adjudicator completes the work to make sure everything about the filing is correct, the Disposition will go from “Under Review” to “Active”. So, remember, when you research claims, check “All Column Values” or you may miss some of the information about the claim.
EOMA ADVERTISING AND SALE LISTINGS
THE OREGON CONCRETE AND AGGREGATE ASSOCIATION
EOMA is a member of OCAPA. This is undoubtedly the largest type of mining in Oregon. They have a very interesting and informative website that also may be of interest to metal miners. They keep track of the bills introduced in Oregon’s legislature that may affect all mining in Oregon.
It will be necessary to remind the Oregon legislators, who mainly come from the Willamette Valley, that not all of Oregon has a moderate climate. A bill such as SB 715 which mandates higher percentages of biodiesel doesn’t work for the people who live and work at higher elevations.
Check out their website: https://www.ocapa.net/
EOMA SILVER MEDALLIONS FOR SALE
EOMA still has silver 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 your medallion 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 541-310-8510. Also, you can buy them at our EOMA meetings.
FOR SALE EARTH MAGNETOMETER
This magnetometer measures the amount of magnetics in the ground, such as magnetite. Since magnetite is associated with gold, the magnetometer can help greatly with prospecting, since it will show you the amount of magnetite that may well be associated with gold in the ground. The more magnetite, the more gold. $400 or cash $350. Call Chuck Chase, 541-310-8510.
GOLDEN ANGEL PLACER CLAIMS FOR SALE
Located on Pine Creek, adjacent to the High Bar (Gold Rush) claims, the three 20-acre Golden Angel claims. There is an approved Plan of Operation in place. Good County road access, water for processing, WPCF permit goes with the sale. For information, call John at 541-620-1177.
GOLD CLAIMS FOR SALE (3)
6 unpatented placer claims (180 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, but additional time can be applied for). DEQ WPCF 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
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 in the fall of 2021. Call Charles Stewart at 541-910-5435 for more information. I will look at any reasonable offers.
WANTED-GOLD
Gold Specimens and Gold nuggets, mostly from Oregon mines. Fair prices paid. Also selling Gold nugget jewelry, specimens, nuggets and more. For an interesting and informative experience explore www.northernnevadagold.com. Call Robert 775-455-6470.
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ACTION MINING SERVICES, INC.
AMS is selling out all assay supplies, screens, chemicals and labware! Call for quote and mention this ad for 35% off! Assay supplies, concentrators, impact mills, technical books (for the beginner to the advanced mill man), & more!
Call for our free catalog or visit us online! Check out their website for information on wave tables. Want to pick up an order in Plains Montana? We have moved to Plains, Montana…. please call 406.826.9330 to place the order on will call first, this way our staff can have pulled and ready for pick up. Otherwise, we can always ship your order! sales@actionmining.com • www.actionmining.com
SEND YOUR NEWSLETTER ITEMS
If you have informative or interesting articles about mining items to share in the newsletter send them to Ken Alexander alxk@ortelco.net, or Chuck Chase CHASE3285@msn.com, or Jan Alexander alx@ortelco.net. Be sure to indicate the source of information you send. The next several years will undoubtedly be challenging.
Your ideas and help will be necessary to educate and improve the understanding of the mining industry to the new administration.
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