EASTERN OREGON
MINING ASSOCIATION
AUGUST 2014 Newsletter
Volume 299
EASTERN OREGON MINING ASSOCIATION MEETING
The meetings are held on the first Friday of the month. The next meeting is Friday, August 1st at the Baker City Hall. The building is located at 1st and Auburn Streets in Baker City. The Board meeting starts at 6:00PM, and the general meeting starts at 6:30PM.
FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT–Ken Alexander
Comments on the onerous, access unfriendly Blue Mountain Revision are due to the Wallowa-Whitman, Malheur and Umatilla Forest Supervisors on or before August 15, 2014. While the 1990 Forest Plan was access friendly, this one is not. The Forest Service is recommending more wilderness, more non-motorized backcountry (exactly like wilderness but they dont have to ask Congress) and more backcountry, where 1 mile of road is proposed per section, and wildlife corridors, where 1.5 miles of road is in their Alternative E proposal. Due to topography, a guy could only drive halfway across the section, then have to turn back!
Mineral exploration would be adversely impacted, due to no cross country travel, and no mining in the new wildernesses and backcountry areas. This plan proposes to close all \hydrologically connected\ roads. Sounds like a road that runs up a streambed, doesnt it? But the definition of hydrologically connected, is a road within 300 feet of a creek. This is just an excuse to close more roads. It is very important to comment, and contact your legislators to let them know you don’t like what is going on.
EOMA will be submitting comments, so will Baker County, Grant County and Malheur County. Individual miners really need to make comments. If you need assistance in putting together your comments, call Jan at 541-446-3413, and she will help you out. This is important.
PROOF OF LABOR MUST BE RECORDED IN THE COUNTY BY SEPTEMBER 30
After you have performed at least $100 worth of assessment for each claim you own, record your proof of labor in the county where the claim is located. Even if you pay the fees, you must record at the county. After the form has been recorded, send a copy to BLM along with $10/claim (if you don’t qualify for the waiver and must pay fees, you will send $155 for each 20 acre parcel) before the end of December.
MAINTENANCE FEE WAIVERS ARE DUE ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 2, 2014
If you have an association placer claim (that is a claim over 20 acres) and you pay the maintenance fee, this fee has gone up this year to $155 per claim or per every 20 acres. Any additional acreage above (even a fractional one) is another $155. That makes a 30 acre claim cost $310 if you are paying the maintenance fee.
Enclosed in this newsletter you will find a maintenance fee waiver form which can be used by all miners who perform assessment and who own 10 claims or fewer. On Line one you write in 2014 in the first blank, and 2015 in the second blank. On line 2 you write in September 1, 2014. Remember, this form must have original signatures of all claim owners. The form is usually due in the BLM office in Portland by the 31st of August, but there is an extension this year because of the holiday.
But miners should not wait. There is no fee, and this form does not get recorded at the county, but if you fail to send it to BLM you will lose your claims.
More information can be found at: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/iac/miningfacts.html
MINER’S JUBILEE-Chuck Chase
Chuck and Bobbie’s neighbors, Geri Lynn, and Sherry Williams, graciously helped inventory, tag, and write up the bid sheets for the silent auction before moving everything down to the park for Jubilee. Aryanna St. Amand and Logan Toubeaux’s youthful enthusiasm at the panning tubs and their help taking down the booth was greatly appreciated. Energy Trust sponsored the panning contests and donated the money for the prizes. Thanks also to Tork & Wanda Ballard of F.A.F.A. for setting up and tearing down, and to Ed Bechtel for the ¼oz gold donation. And to all of the people who participated and helped with their time and donations.
REPUBLICAN SENATORS INTRODUCE S-2496 TO STOP EPA REGULATIONS UNDERMINING THE DEFINITION OF NAVIGABLE-American Land Rights
The Obama administration is trying to redefine \Waters of the United States\ to encompass nearly every occasionally damp ditch and puddle in the nation, and add new layers of red tape and control over people responsibly using their own land.
Farmers, ranchers, miners, foresters, snowmobilers, off-highway vehicle users and land owners beware! US Environmental Protection Agency proposes the biggest Federal land and Water grab ever! EPA proposes a vast expansion of new wetlands jurisdiction regulations. EPA wants to eliminate or \water down\ the term navigable. The proposal will impact millions of additional people, and create much more unnecessary litigation. Average Americans would not be able to afford the legal fees necessary to battle the wealthy environmental lobby and taxpayer supported government agencies.
The economic and social implications of this proposal are enormous. A massive loss of jobs will be the result of these proposed new EPA Wetlands Jurisdiction Regulations if they are approved.
The economic impact assessment, including the cost benefit analysis, is fundamentally flawed.
The science behind the proposal has been manipulated. EPA sent the proposed regulations to OMB even before they received comments from their own Science Advisory Board. The proposal ignores three U.S. Supreme Court decisions that imposed limits on Federal jurisdiction.
GOVERNOR’S STUDY GROUP SB 838-Tom Kitchar Waldo Mining District
Noise was the big topic at the July 17, 2014 study group meeting. Also an issue was dredges supposedly blocking floaters & boaters, and bothering fishermen. The third issue that they have been hammering on since the first meeting is harm to fish and the aquatic environment. I still do not understand how upland mining even got into the law.
One big problem is that most of the people that work for the state regulatory agencies tend to lean green.... and to them, regulating for potential of harm is OK, even if no harm has been shown (and you would think that after 34+ years of heavy suction dredge mining throughout the west that \if\ there was a real harm, there would be a smoking gun by now - a dead fish, something real and measurable to point to...... and yet all they can come up with is that you \might\ dredge up a lamprey eel.... or kill a clam.... or loosen the stream bed and it will all wash away in next flood.... and therefore dredging needs to be fully regulated. Ultimately, I do not see a big win for mining from the Governors SB838 Study Group. At best, there is a slim chance we can get the upland mining exempted, maybe kill the moratorium, and somehow separate mining under the Mining Law from recreation (i.e.; ideally an exemption from SB 838 for all mining on public lands & waters - (but would still need permits). What happens to recreational dredging is totally up in the air (and if DEQ closes the Rogue to suction dredging because of mercury, then the recreation issue appears to be solved). Looks like the rich guys with homes along the Rogue, who pushed through the current restrictions on dredging and insisted on the moratorium, have gotten what they wanted. There wont be any dredges working in the river below their decks-not because of the law, but because DEQ has decided to list the Rogue as 303(d) for mercury and make the river off-limits for dredging.
RESULTS OF OREGON CHAMPIONSHIP PANNING CONTEST 2014-Chuck Chase
Kids (12 years and under)
1st Place---Sean Dennis --------- Prize Money Won $30----- Time 1:57
2nd Place—Kaisley Harrison ---Prize Money Won $20------Time 2:02
3rd Place---Caden Schroder -----Prize Money Won $10------Time 5:10 (/w 1 min penalty)
Amateur
1st Place ----Zachary Harrison----Prize Money Won $75---Time 1:21
2nd Place----Logan Toubeaux ----Prize Money Won $50---Time 1:27
3rd Place-----Dennis Rexroad-----Prize Money Won $25---Time 1:28
Professional
1st Place----Austin Harmon--------Prize Money Won $125---Time :34
2nd Place--- Shane Boettcher -----Prize Money Won $100----Time :36
3rd Place---Kenneth Martin--------Prize Money Won $75----Time :53
WINNERS OF “½ POUND GOLD DRAWING- Tom Kitchar for EOMA & WMD
The final drawing was held at Baker City’s Miner’s Jubilee on July 20, 2014.
GRAND PRIZE: 1/2 LB. OF PLACER GOLD D. W. Norris Merced, CA
1ST PLACE: TWO SHARES TO EMILY CAMP G. Booth Prineville, OR
2ND PLACE: EOMA 1 OZ. SILVER MEDALLION R. Wedgwood The Dalles, OR
3RD PLACE: BOOK - The Gold Prospector’s Guide to Researching & Locating Mining Claims P. Tillman Jerome, ID
4TH PLACE: BOOK - The Gold Prospector’s Guide S. Cogert Chino Hills, CA
THE FIGHT GOES ON TO GET THE RIGHT SUCTION DREDGE PERMIT
We congratulate our Winners in this drawing for half a pound of gold, and appreciate everyones support of this important lawsuit. The goal is to protect miner’s rights in Oregon and the Nation. Let’s hope we all win with a clear Victory in the Oregon Court of Appeals!
FEDERAL COURT UPHOLDS RIGHT TO DIVERT WATER
In a recent decision, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals held that Texas’ water rights permitting system did not result in illegal take of endangered whooping cranes merely because water was legally diverted from rivers that ultimately flow to one of the rare birds’ habitats on the Texas Gulf Coast. The Fifth Circuit Court also clarified important limits on when the future use of property can be enjoined even where a past ESA violation has been established. See the Pacific Legal Foundation website for more information.
EOMA ADVERTISING AND SALE LISTINGS
The advertising listings are only $1 per month to get your ad listed below. Send your ad to: EOMA, Box 932, Baker City, OR 97814 along with your remittance for each month you want us to run your ad. The number next to your ad is how many months your ad will run.
1 YD. PER HR. TEST OR SMALL PRODUCTION PLANT(0)
Has vibrating sluice and screen to 1/8 - feed Neff Bowl - for fine gold recovery, that catches everything to 500 mesh. Cost $11,000.00 in April of 2012. For Sale for $3,950.00 Call Ed at 541-446-3212 after 6PM. Located at 4227 Willow Creek Rd, Ironside, OR
PLACER GOLD BUYER (0)
I am always looking for new sources of quality gold nuggets and specimens. I market to collectors and can generally pay more than refiners for nice nuggets. Contact Matt at (208) 867-2594 or e-mail: goldrush@goldrushnuggets.com I travel through Baker City frequently.
NEW BOOK ON LOCATING CLAIMS-AVAILABLE FROM THE AUTHOR (2)
Written by a miner for miners, this book covers all aspects of researching mining claim records, how to locate your own claim and keep it. Send check or money order for $32 dollars to: Tom Kitchar, PO Box 1371, Cave Junction, OR 97523.
FOR SALE (2)
Forty acre placer claim on Clarks Creek. Hasnt been dredged or mined, has real good potential. Has had a magnetometer survey done on the property and shows a large old river channel that has been buried. Just waiting for the right miner to come along. Ten thousand firm on the asking Price. Call: 541-523-3285 or my Cell: at 541-310-8510.
FOR SALE (2)
Eighty acre placer claim on the Burnt River at the mouth of Clarks Creek. Has excellent potential. A large portion hasn’t been dredged. Has buried high bars that have had limited work done on them. One high bar hasn’t been touched. $5,000 firm. Call: 541-523-3285 or my Cell: 541-310-8510.
SUPPORT THE EOMA AND PURCHASE SILVER MEDALLIONS
These are beautiful proof grade one ounce silver medallions with the addition of real gold “nuggets” in the pan. Your choice of years; 2012, 2013, or 2014. Send $50 plus $5.00 shipping, insurance, and handling to EOMA, Medallions, PO Box 932, Baker City, OR 97814, or call Bobbie at 541-523-3285. Be sure to specify what year you want.
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