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Current Issues -
Minerals Sector of USA Economy
Democracy is not a
spectator sport.
Freedom is not free.
Be a spokesman for
the mineral businesses!
This is a library of published materials about many of the current issues that affect the minerals business. Links to the sources are
provided. Much of the research is already done for you. Use these
references when you wish to speak or
write to the public about their concerns regarding the minerals
business.
Your contributions to this library are welcome; send items to
Paul Chamberlin
or fax to 303-979-6753.
= Item(s) recently added - Latest update: June 7, 2006
Older articles can be found in the Issues
Archive.
ABOUT THE DAM REGULATIONS This is an
actual letter sent to a man named Ryan De
Vries by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, State of
Michigan.
Quotable
From The Skeptical Environmentalist, by Bjorn Lomborg.
"We have more leisure time, greater security, less pollution,
fewer accidents, more education, more amenities, higher incomes, and
fewer starving people than any other generation in history."
Paul Ehrlich, Earth Day 1970
"In ten years all important animal life in the sea will be extinct.
Large areas of coastline will have to be evacuated because of the stench
of dead fish."
"Five years is all we have left if we are going to preserve any
kind of quality in the world."
From Dr. Patrick Moore, founding member of Greenpeace.
"There were always extreme, irrational and mystical elements
within our movement, but they tended to be kept in their place during
the early years. Then in the mid-Eighties the ultra-leftists and
extremists took over. After Greenham Common closed and the Berlin Wall
came down these extremists were searching for a new cause and found it
in environmentalism. The old agendas of class struggle and
anti-corporatism are still there but now they are dressed up in
environmental terminology." "…we have an environmental
movement that is run by people who want to fight, not to win."
"For me, Greenpeace is about ringing an ecological fire alarm,
waking mass consciousness to the true dimensions of our global
predicament, pointing out the problems and defining their nature.
Greenpeace doesn't necessarily have the solutions to those problems and
certainly isn't equipped to put them into practice."
Mike Roselle, Earth First radical and self-proclaimed
revolutionary.
"…This is Jihad, pal. There are no innocent bystanders,
because in these desperate hours, bystanders are not innocent. We'll
broaden our theater of conflict."
3809 Regulations
BLM
Instruction Memorandum No. 2003-082, Change 1, March 1, 2004. The
BLM must review reclamation cost estimates submitted by operators and
the operators must post a financial guarantee sufficient to cover
reclamation costs as if the BLM were hiring a third party contractor to
perform reclamation of the project. The estimate must include all
operating, maintenance and BLM administrative costs (43 CFR 3809.554).
<Top>
Abandoned
Mines Annual Energy Outlook,
2002, Energy Information Administration, DOE, November 2001.
This preliminary report will be in final form on 12/21/01. A broad
outlook with production numbers and forecasts for the future is
presented. http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/aeo/index.html <Top>
Acid Rock Drainage
“Evaluation
of Active and Passive Coal Mine Drainage Treatment Systems”, Skelly
and Loy quarterly newsletter, Summer 2004. Some of the major
technologies are discussed. Key questions to ask are posed. Some
comments about the applicable regulations are presented.
Read the Article
“EPA
‘Good Samaritan’ Initiative Aimed at Removing Legal Barriers to AMD
Cleanup”, NMA Mining Week, National Mining Association, September 2,
2005, p.3. Efforts are being made to remove legal barriers and the
potential liabilities that have prevented private groups from cleaning
up ARD from abandoned mines.
http://nma.org/newsroom/miningweek/miningweekarchive/pdf2005/mw090205.pdf
"Downhole Tool Detects Potential ARD", Engineering
& Mining Journal, January 2003, p. 37. Early detection of ARD is
important. Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial
Research Organization (CSIRO) developed a nuclear probe for mineral
exploration that now is finding new application in spotting ARD. www.e-mj.com
<Top>
Air
“Particle
Civics”, Joel Schwartz, American Enterprise Institute, January 4,
2006. Even though the EPA cut particle pollution by 45%, the press and
environmentalists are not happy. Details of the PM2.5 standard are
provided.
http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=010306J
“Argus Air
Daily”. This is a website that assesses daily prices for emissions
allowance markets in the US. Argus currently assesses current vintage
(spot), forward prices for SO2 and NOx allowances, and previous year
(banked) NOx allowances. Argus Air Daily also publishes monthly and
weekly indexes for these allowances. Argus publishes a monthly Broker
Index as well, based on a methodology suggested by the Environmental
Markets Association.
http://www.argusonline.com/wwwroot/pa-html/methodology/argus_air_daily.htm
“A Healthy
Economy and Healthier Air”, Energy and Environmental Analysis, Inc.
(EEA), January 2002. Air quality has improved dramatically over the past
three decades but the public doesn’t recognize this feat. Facts and
statistics are provided.
http://www.cleanairprogress.org/research/energy_report.asp
“Senate Committee To Markup Clear Skies Bill This Week”,
Environment & Energy Daily, 2/14/2005. Changes to S-131,the ‘Clear Skies
Act of 2005’, are detailed. They will provide sensible multi-emission
controls that will further reduce power plant emissions by 70% and
provide the necessary regulatory certainty needed by coal-based power
plants as they continue to satisfy America’s electricity demands.
http://www.westernroundtable.com/news/article.asp?id=1368
“EPA proposes NSPS, PSD requirements”, Mining Week, National
Mining Association, February 25, 2005. The EPA has proposed to amend
existing New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) regulations associated
with emissions from utility, industrial, commercial and institutional
steam generating units as well as nitrogen oxide (NOx) Prevention of
Significant Deterioration (PSD) requirements.
http://www.nma.org/newsroom/miningweek/miningweekarchive/asp2005/mw022505.asp#story3
“Carbon emissions trading is new weapon to battle global warming”,
Associated Press,
2/9/2005. Some of the pros and cons are discussed.
http://www.westernroundtable.com/news/article.asp?id=1375
<Top>Arsenic
“Cost
Effective Method for Removing Arsenic from Water”, Technology
Transfer Department, E. O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
December 12, 2004. A low cost, efficient method for removing arsenic
from water to <10ppb (the new EPA standard that will go into effect in
January 2006) has been developed in the laboratory. The process uses
bottom ash that has been coated with ferric hydroxide.
http://www.lbl.gov/tt/techs/lbnl1742.html
Letter to the EPA,
W-99-16-V1 Arsenic Comment Clerk from Paul Jones, Chair – Governmental
Affairs Committee for MMSA . " The
Mining and Metallurgical Society of America (herein "MMSA")
is concerned that the Environmental Protection Agency (herein
"EPA") may establish an arsenic standard for public drinking
water sources that cannot be enforced because of technical aspects
related to the rule. We believe the rule you propose to establish –
that of establishing a 3 or 5 microgram per liter maximum arsenic
content – may not be enforceable because of the lack of a technical
ability to accurately measure such arsenic levels in drinking water on a
commercial basis." Entire
letter.
<Top>
Asbestos
“Asbestos Exposure Limit; Proposed Rule”, MSHA of Dept. of Labor,
30 CFR Parts 56, 57, and 71; July 29, 2005. A new proposed rule would
reduce miners’ permissible exposure limit (PEL) to asbestos from 2.0
fibers/cm3 to 0.1 fibers/cu3; the short-term excursion limit would be
reduced from 10 fibers/cm3 over 15 minutes to 1.0 fiber/cm3 per 30
minutes. The same asbestos minerals would be covered.
http://www.msha.gov/REGS/FEDREG/PROPOSED/2005PROP/05-14510.PDF
“Asbestos”, U.S. EPA. This information site has many
links to web sites that address a great number of issues related to
asbestos.
http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/asbestos/index.html
“Texas
Curtails Runaway Asbestos Litigation”, James M. Taylor, Environment
& Climate News, The Heartland Institute, July 2005, p. 1. Texas enacted
legislation setting strict medical criteria for claims of asbestos
related personnal injury. Only persons who have been diagnosed with
asbestos related illnesses are eligible for compensation.
http://heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=17359
“Asbestos Exposure In The Mining Industry: A Case for Revising the MSHA
Standard”, Blumenstein and Ross, Mining Engineering, April
2005, pp. 76-80. A rationale is presented for lowering the permissible
exposure limit (PEL) of average airborne asbestos dust from MSHA’s 5
fibers/cc set in 1978 to 2 fibers/cc.
http://me.smenet.org/200504/css/index.cfm
“The
Asbestos Answer”, Marshall Manson, Center for Individual Freedom,
3/10/2005. There is a proposal before Congress to create a fund with
money from businesses and insurers, not taxpayers, large enough to
handle current and future complaints. Such a fund will ensure swift
justice for the real victims and provide certainty for companies now
facing an endless number of asbestos claims.
http://www.techcentralstation.com/031005E.html
“New Hope for Asbestos Litigation Reform”, Environment & Climate
News, The Heartland Institute, January 2005, p. 4-5. The status of a
well-designed trust fund that would benefit plaintiffs rather than
lawyers is still being debated.
http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=16197
Asbestos Litigation Reform, The Heartland Institute. More than 30
documents about asbestos litigation are internet linked.
http://heartland.org/PolicyBotTopic.cfm?artTopic=122
<Top>
Benefits of Mining
'Web
Site Launched to Provide Information on Gold Mining’, National
Mining Association, December 2005. The NMA and the world’s gold
producers have launched a new website that describes gold mining
practices including the role of gold in modern society, where and how
gold is produced, and the laws / regulations that govern gold mining.
www.responsiblegold.org
“Raw
Materials and Technology Fuel U. S. Economic Growth”, T. D. Kelly,
Mining Engineering, December 2002, pp. 17-21. The quality of life in the
USA has improved dramatically since the year 1900 and the application of
knowledge about the Earth’s materials, their extraction, and fabrication
into products helped create this change.
http://me.smenet.org/200212/css/min0212_17.cfm
“Peabody’s
Coal Mines Provide Millions to Navajo, Hopi Economies”,
Mining
Engineering magazine of SME, December 2002, p. 13. Peabody’s coal
operations put more than $110 million into Navajo and Hopi communities
in 2001; wages account for $58 million. Over 30 years they have put in
more than $2 billion in the form of royalties, taxes, wages, benefits,
and scholarships. Royalties and taxes provide 30% of the Navajo Nation’s
general budget and 80% of the Hopi’s general budget. 650 jobs are
created of which more than 90% are Native Americans. The average coal
miner’s wage was $45,000, twice the average wage in all of Arizona.
Publications,
Mineral Industries, U.S. Census Bureau. These publications have many
statistics for the year 2002, both by industry and by subject. For
example: industry wide statistics, employment, type of operations,
products, services, supplies, machinery purchased, fuels consumed.
http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/manu-min.html#min
“NMA
Member Companies Respond As Good Neighbors To Natural Disasters”, NMA
Mining Week, National Mining Association, September 2, 2005, p. 1. The
mining industry has a well justified reputation as a good citizen in
many communities throughout the world. Regarding the devastation after
hurricane Katrina, Phelps Dodge is contributing $1 million to the Red
Cross; Peabody Energy is giving $0.5 million to affected electric
utilities and the Red Cross; Caterpillar is matching employee and
retiree contributions and working with its dealers to make equipment and
personnel available for recovery and cleanup efforts; and many others
are contributing in various ways.
http://nma.org/newsroom/miningweek/miningweekarchive/pdf2005/mw090205.pdf
“National
Mining Association Announces Title Sponsorship”, National Mining
Association, July 2005. The Pete Dye Golf Course in Bridgeport, W.Va. is
a high-profile example of private sector mining reclamation. So, the
Pete Dye Classic on the PGA tour will be sponsored this year by the
National Mining Association. Reclaimed mine sites have been cultivated
and now are the sites for public schools, tree farms, airports, golf
courses, shopping centers and housing developments.
http://www.petedyeclassic.com/
“Gold mining
increasingly important to developing countries”, World Gold Council,
26 May, 2005. Gold mining is becoming more important to developing
countries. They produce 72% of the world’s gold and their production
increased 84% in 2004. Gold revenues bring substantial improvement in
their social and financial infrastructure.
http://www.gold.org/value/news/article/2120/
“Annual Review of the Minerals Business in the United States in
2002”, Mining Engineering, SME, May 2003. Diagrams the role of
nonfuel minerals in the US economy and relates it to the GDP. Shows the
U.S.’s reliance on imported minerals. Gives employment and
productivity data. Gives production data by commodity and by
state/region. http://me.smenet.org/200305/pdf/min0305_02.pdf
<Top>
Bonding
“Bonding Issues”, Northwest Mining Association
website, Issues, September 18, 2002. An in-depth discussion of bonding
issues by Laura Skaer of the NWMA.
http://www.nwma.org/issues.asp
“Environmental Suits May Need Bond”, Judy Fahys, The Salt Lake
Tribune, Jan. 29, 2006. Three bills before the Utah legislature would
require that a bond be posted before an appeal of a state or federal
agency’s action could be filed. The bonds would cover costs such as
employee pay and benefits, lost profits, and ‘consequential costs’ like
swelling construction costs or lost tax revenues while the case was
being appealed. The conflict will be between companies or state agencies
who have no representation when aggrieved by lawsuits and individuals or
organizations that will be impeded in seeking review of projects.
Read the Article.
The Future of Gold Mining in North America …, James
Komadina, Colorado Mining, Colorado Mining Association, April 2001, p.
12. If we accept bonding as a fact of life covering the entire mining
project we might expect benefits in return, benefits such as entry to
the land under prescribed conditions, permitting without undue delays,
construction and operation without whimsical interference, and
regulations designed to protect the land user as well as the landowner. www.coloradomining.org
<Top>
Climate Change
“Kyoto’s
Big Con”, Wall Street Journal, 1.19.2006. The biggest fans of the
Kyoto Protocol are the Europeans and generally they are failing to
comply. In contrast, the USA is the global villain and they are doing
very well. 13 of the 15 EU signatories are on track to miss their 2010
emissions targets. The Greek and Canadian politicians claimed that the
USA didn’t have a ‘global conscience’. Yet, their emissions rose 23% and
24%, respectively, since 1990 versus only a 15.8% rise in the USA.
http://www.westernroundtable.com/news/article.asp?id=1729
"Climate
Change Science: An Analysis of Some Key Questions (2001)”, Committee
on the Science of Climate Change, Division on Earth and Life Studies,
National Research Council. This book discusses the factors that could
change the climate and reviews historical climate changes. It makes
forecasts of future climate and assess progress in climate science.
http://books.nap.edu/books/0309075742/html/
“Minnesota
Team Abandons Effort to ‘Prove’ Global Warming”, Jay Lehr,
Environment & Climate News, The Heartland Institute, July 2005, p.8. Two
‘adventurers’ bent on proving their preconceived notions of global
warming by making a trip to the North Pole were forced to abandon their
quest by extreme cold weather. A few observations taken out of context
do not ‘prove’ global warming. E.g., melting glaciers. There are about
160,000 glaciers in the world; only 63,000 have been inventoried, and
only a few hundred have been studied. R. J. Braithwaite studied 246
glaciers over the past 50 years and found that some were melting, almost
as many were growing, and some were stable. Conclusion: “There is no
obvious global trend of increasing glacier melt in recent years.”
Similar variations in data apply to the broken ice shelves off
Antarctica.
http://heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=17359
“Recent Global
Warmth Is Natural, Benefits Humans”, Sallie Baliunas, Environmental
& Climate News, July 2005, p.9. A thoughtful article about the history
of global warming and cooling. We are now coming out of a cooler period
into more ‘normal’ global temperatures. Colder weather shortens life
expectancy so warmer temperatures are good. The storminess of the world
400 years ago was much greater than during the past 100 years.
http://heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=17359
“Half-Baked
Alaska”, P. J. Michaels, Environment & Climate News, The Heartland
Institute, June 2005, p.16. The Alaska Climate Research Center (taxpayer
funded) writes, ‘When analyzing the total time period from 1951-2001,
warming is observed. However, the 25-year trends for 1951-1975 and
1977-2001 both display cooling.’ That’s right! The past 50 years in
Alaska have been cooling except for a one-year, mysterious ‘burp’ in the
Pacific Ocean temperature around 1976. It’s not likely that one-year
‘burp’ was caused by man.
http://heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=17184
“Playing It
Cool”, Investor’s Business Daily, August 1, 2005, p. A16. The Kyoto
Protocol is costly and ineffective. Tom Wigley, a climatologist at the
National Center for Atmospheric Research who often sides with green
groups, conceded that global temperature will rise by 1.94 degrees
Centigrade by 2100 with Kyoto and without it the increase will arrive in
2094, only 6 years earlier.
http://www.investors.com/editorial/issues02.asp?v=7/30
“What Are
Greenhouse Gases?”, Energy Information Administration of Department
of Energy, 2001. What are sources of greenhouse gases (GHG)? Why are
GHG levels increasing? Estimates of future emissions. Easy to read
graphs.
http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/ggccebro/chapter1.html
“Climate
Scientist Quits IPCC, Blasts Politicized ‘Preconceived Agendas’”,
James Taylor, Environment & Cllimate News, The Heartland Institute,
April 2005, p. 1. Chris Landsea, a leader in relating hurricanes and
climate change, resigned from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change citing the IPCC subverted and compromised his conclusions.
Landsea’s open letter to the community is reproduced.
http://heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=16806
“Important U.
S. Climate Program Is Unheralded”, Duane Freese, Environment &
Climate News, April 2005, p. 7. President Bush’s initiative called
‘Methane to Markets (M2M)’ has received very little press compared to
the Kyoto Protocol’s sole emphasis on carbon dioxide. M2M’s objective
is to reduce the greenhouse gas methane (which is 20 to 30 times more
potent than carbon dioxide) by 1% of all releases caused by human
activity, e.g., plug leaks in gas lines, capture it from landfills, and
remove it from coal mines.
http://heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=16810
“Malthusian Warming”, Roy Spencer, Tech Central Station, 3/23/05.
Two studies suggest that even if we stop producing greenhouse gases
immediately, global temperatures will continue to increase for decades
to come because the oceans will take that long to equilibrate with the
atmosphere.
http://www.techcentralstation.com/032305H.html
“Kyoto Causing Economic Anguish in Japan, Britain”,
Environment & Climate News, The Heartland Institute, January 2005, p.
15. Both Japan and Britain are finding that compliance with the Kyoto
Protocol means losing jobs and money. It also implies huge increases in
nuclear and wind power.
http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=16206 <Top>
Coal,
CO2
‘Coal,
the Comeback King, Shows Promise for the Long Term’, Energy
Prospects, 12.13.2006. As natural gas prices soar and oil resources grow
increasingly coveted, coal production is roaring to a new and robust
life.
http://www.westernroundtable.com/news/article.asp?id=1725
‘EIA
Sees Coal Gaining’, Mining Week of National Mining Association,
1.20.2006, p.2. The Energy Information Administration forecasts that
coal will be one of the largest gainers (to 54% of energy markets)
between now and the year 2030.
http://www.nma.org/newsroom/miningweek/miningweekarchive/pdf2006/mw012006.pdf
“The Drift of Things”,
Mining Engineering, February 2004.
Coal production in 2004 with be the second highest on record,
1.16 billion tons, mainly due to the 4% increase in GDP.
Most of the coal will be used to generate electricity, 1.05
billion tons. http://me.smenet.org/200402/css/min0402_04.cfm
<Top>
Corporate Environmentalism
“Responsible
Gold”, Northwest Mining Association, 2005. This interactive site
will respond to your questions. One link is to the National Mining
Association’s site titled, U.S. Laws and Regulations Governing gold
Mining ion Private and Federal Lands that outlines much of the
permitting process that a new mine performs.
http://www.responsiblegold.org/laws.asp
“Peabody
Joins Effort to Build Near-zero-emissions Coal Plant”, Yahoo’s
Bizjournal, 9/13/05. Eight companies have formed the FutureGen
Industrial Alliance to work with the U. S. Department of Energy to
design, build, and operate the world’s first electricity and hydrogen
production plant.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bizj/050913/1163276.html?.v=1
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050913/cgtu032.html?.v=25
“Newmont
accuser in Indonesia admits accusations were ‘premature’ and
unsupported”, National Mining Association, 2/18/05. Jane Pangemanan,
an Indonesian doctor, said the accusations she made, claiming that
tailings produced by Newmont’s Indonesian subsidiary caused the disease
suffered by some residents of Buyat Pantai village, “were premature
because there was never any scientific, comprehensive, detailed and
integrated proof.” She has retracted the accusations.
http://www.nma.org/newsroom/miningweek/miningweekarchive/asp2005/mw021805.asp#story4
<Top>
Court Cases
Supreme Court Strikes Down Bird Habitat Rule,
Environment & Climate News, Maureen Martin, March 2001. The Army
Corp of Engineers went too far in its interpretation of navigable waters
of the USA. www.heartland.org .
<Top>
Cyanide
“Court
Upholds Challenge To Summit County Mining Ban”, news release from
Colorado Mining Association, 8/5/05. A ruling by the county
commissioners of Summit County, Colorado, that would ban the mining
industry’s use of cyanide in the county has been invalidated by the
Summit County District Court. The court’s decision can be read at
http://www.coloradomining.org/Issues/CMAOrderReCrossMotionsforSJ1.pdf
http://www.coloradomining.org/Issues/CMASummitCountyNewsRelease080505.pdf
Montana Ballot Initiative
I-147 would allow the use of solutions containing
cyanide in gold and silver mining, but only if stringent new criteria
are met. The vote (Nov 04) went against the initiative. More
<Top>
Depletion
Allowance
“Repeal
of Depletion Allowance Introduced Again”, Mining Week, National
Mining Association, March 4, 2005. NMA views the depletion allowance as
an essential tax provision that helps mining companies recapture capital
investment.
http://www.nma.org/newsroom/miningweek/miningweekarchive/asp2005/mw030405.asp#story5
Dose vs Chemical; Which is the Poison?
“Earth Day 2003 Fact Sheet: Myths and Facts About the Environment”, National Center for Public Policy Research. April 21, 2003. Many myths and the facts to refute them are presented.
http://www.nationalcenter.org/EarthDay03Myths.html#F&gen=0&flinkid=84633183
<Top>
Endangered
Species Act
“Florida
Adopts New Standards for Endangered Species Listings”, James A.
Hoare, Environment & Climate News, The Heartland Institute, July 2005,
p. 1. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has approved
new standards for listing endangered species that closely mirror those
of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The
standards rely on objective data instead of emotional public campaigns.
The standards will apply only to Florida and species within its borders;
it will have no impact on the USA’s national Endangered Species Act.
http://heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=17359
“Ninth
Circuit Says Environmental Activists Must Prove Harm To Species, Not
Just Allege It, To Invoke Endangered Species Act”, American Land
Rights Association, 4/27/05. The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
has ruled for Pacific Legal Foundation, and Idaho rancher Verl Jones’
family, in a case that addresses the standard by which injunctions can
be issued under the Endangered Species Act. The ruling clarifies for
the first time that environmental plaintiffs must present actual
evidence that a species is likely to be harmed before an injunction can
be issued against a property owner, and that a lack of evidence of past
harm is indicative of the likelihood of future harm.
http://www.landrights.org
“Endangered Act”, Randy T. Simmons, Headwaters News. The
underlying philosophy of the Act is discussed and recommendations are
made for changing it. Specifically, the Act should be a ‘species act’
rather than a ‘local population act’ and it should use incentives rather
than punishment.
http://www.headwatersnews.org/p.simmons010504.html
“Markets and the Environment: Friends or Foes?”, Terry L.
Anderson, PERC, 9/22/2004. The Endangered Species Act is viewed
differently by many people depending upon the ‘hat’ they wear, i.e.,
political environmentalism. Free market environmentalism is offered as
an alternative. This means that those of us with full stomachs, good
clothes, transportation, housing, medical care, education and so on
demand and get a cleaner environment, i.e., wealthier is healthier. It
also means that incentives matter, i.e., if it pays, it stays.
http://www.law.case.edu/student_life/journals/law_review/55-1/anderson.pdf.
Sand and Gravel Industry Calls for Endangered Species Reform. The
industry has put forward H.R. 2933 in Congress, Critical Habitat Reform
Act. The bill would require that an economic impact analysis be
conducted before designating a species-critical habitat. Comprehensive
reform of the Endangered Species Act has been languishing in Congress.
<Top>
Energy
“Distorting
the Wealth of Nature”, Thomas Tanton, PERC Reports, Property and
Environment Research Center, September 2005, pp. 9-11. There are too
many forms of subsidies to determine which energy sources are most
efficient. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 adds to the subsidies. The cost
to consumers may be more than $1 billion per year.
http://www.perc.org/publications/percreports/sept2005/distorting.php
“Congress
Enacts Historic Energy Legislation”, news release from Colorado
Mining Association, 8/1/05. After five years of debate, Congress
approved and sent to President Bush a comprehensive energy bill that
secures the role of coal in America's energy future, provides incentives
for the construction of nuclear power plants, and establishes a
commercial leasing program for oil shale. The "Domenici-Barton Energy
Policy Act of 2005" passed the House and Senate by wide margins July 28
and 29. President Bush signed the bill on August 8, 2005.
http://www.coloradomining.org/Issues/EnergyBillRelease.080105.pdf
“Wind Farms
Costly for Kansans, New Study Finds”, James Taylor, Environment &
Climate News by the Heartland Institute, May 2005, p. 15. Wind farms
proposed for the state of Kansas would take money out of citizens’
pockets, harm the Kansas economy, and provide few if any environmental
benefits.
http://heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=16909
Energy
Information Administration, U. S. Department of Energy. This home
page has a wealth of information about all aspects of energy. It’s easy
to spend an hour just browsing through it. http://www.eia.doe.gov/
“Methane
Hydrate Research and Development”, Government Affairs Program of the
American Geological Institute, January 25, 2005. Background information
about methane hydrates, frozen mixtures of methane and water, is
provided.
http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis109/hydrates.html
“German
Government Study Questions Value of Wind Power”, Iain Murray and
Myron Ebell, Environment & Climate News, June 2005, p.6. Germany’s
energy agency released a study that concludes wind farms are an
expensive and inefficient way of generating sustainable energy.
http://heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=17172
“The War
Against American Energy Efficiency”, Tim Wood, Resource Investor,
July 12, 2005. Environmentalist writings have been successful in
demonizing America’s energy consumption. We are simply supposed to
accept that the USA is the biggest, baddest energy consumer in the
world. We aren’t. Data is shown to prove it.
http://www.resourceinvestor.com/pebble.asp?relid=11248
“Future glows for U.S.
nuclear power”, Paul Studebaker, plantservices.com, 3/23/05. With
rising oil prices, Middle East violence and pollution concerns, the U.S.
is looking to invest in other energy resources besides fossil fuels.
Nuclear power is primed to make a huge comeback.
PlantServices.Com
DOE and White House launch hydrogen energy web
site. The Department of Energy and the White House
have partnered together to launch a hydrogen energy web site that is
designed for companies in the industry, academia, national laboratories
and federal and international agencies.
http://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/
“Clean-Energy Trends 2005”,
CleanEdge.com, April 2005.
Clean
Edge has released a report on clean energy technologies and their
capability for growth in the next two decades (solar, wind, fuel cells).
Read about which clean energy technologies are predicted to grow the
most by 2020.
http://www.cleanedge.com/reports-trends2005.php
“Nuclear Power Is The Safest Energy Source, Studies Show”, Jay Lehr,
Environment & Climate News, April 2005, p. 6. Today’s nuclear
power provides the best safety performance and lowest risk of workplace
accents among all commonly utilized power sources. The second safest
energy source, natural gas, has a fatality rate ten times that of
nuclear power. Many comparisons are made and several sources are cited.
http://heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=16809
“Warning:
The Hydrogen Economy May Be More Distant Than It Appears”, Popular
Science, January 2005, pp. 65-68. Nine myths about the hydrogen economy
are discussed.
http://www.popsci.com/popsci/generaltech/article/0,20967,927469,00.html
“EPA provides update on uranium waste studies”, Mining Week,
National Mining Association, 11/5/04. A draft for review has been
issued. Comments are sought before YE2004. http://www.nma.org/newsroom/miningweek/miningweekarchive/asp2004/mw110504.asp#story2
<Top>
Environmentalism
“Responsible
Gold”, Northwest Mining Association, 2005. This interactive site
will respond to your questions. One link is to the National Mining
Association’s site titled, U.S. Laws and Regulations Governing gold
Mining ion Private and Federal Lands that outlines much of the
permitting process that a new mine performs.
http://www.responsiblegold.org/laws.asp
“UN
Sounds Eco-Alarm, Supports Technology, Property Rights”, R. Bailey
in Environment and Climate News by the Heartland Institute, May 2005, p.
17. UN authors delare that ‘Globally integrated approaches that focus on
technology and property rights for ecosystem services generally improve
human well-being in terms of health, security, social relations, and
material needs.’
http://heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=16911
“FBI:
Eco Extremists Are Top Domestic Terror Threat”, James M. Taylor,
Environment & Climate News, The Heartland Institute, July 2005, p.1. An
FBI spokesman testified before the US Senate that extremist
environmental groups are the nation’s top domestic terrorism threat. The
Animal Liberation Front (ALF) and Earth Liberation Front (ELF) are the
most notorious. PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and
the Human Society of the United States have supported such groups.
http://heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=17359
“ 'Death
of Environmentalism' Essay Ignites Dissent”, Environment & Climate
News, The Heartland Institute, June 2005, p.13. T. Nordhaus and M.
Shellenberger, two environmental activists, write that activist groups
today are too extremist, too polarizing, and too lacking in credibility
to achieve the broad-based support of the American people. They tacitly
assume a value system in which humans and their activities are immoral
and this anti-human philosophy needs to be rejected.
http://heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=17180
<Top>
Federal
Environmental Laws
Federal Environmental Laws
“Abandoned
Mine Land Fund Reauthorization: Selected Issues”, R. L. Bamberger,
Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress, March 8,
2005. Changes to the sources and uses of funds for the Surface Mining
Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) are discussed.
http://www.ncseonline.org/NLE/CRS/abstract.cfm?NLEid=53397
http://www.ncseonline.org/NLE/CRSreports/05mar/RL32373.pdf
“Superfund and
Brownfield Legislation”, Government Affairs Program of the American
Geological Institute, April 7, 2005. Recent and past legislative
activity about the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Liability, and
Compensation Act (i.e., Superfund) and the Brownfields Act of 2002 are
discussed. Background information is provided.
http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis109/brownfields.html
“Wetlands
Policy”, Government Affairs Program of the American Geological
Institute, January 25, 2005. Background information is provided which
relates to legislative activity about wetlands.
http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis109/wetlands.html
“Federal
Environmental Laws”, National Mining Association. A listing of some
of the major environmental laws.
http://nma.org/policy/reclamation/fed_laws.asp
“President
Signs Federal Data Quality Legislation (Act) (Public Law 106-554 Section
515", Center for Regulatory Effectiveness. The Data Quality
Act is changing the way virtually every federal agency issues
information. For the first time, any person can challenge the
information, data, or science used in formulating regulations rather
than just challenging the regulations themselves.
http://www.thecre.com/quality/PL06-554Sec515.html
Guidelines
for Carcinogen Risk Assessment and Supplemental Guidance for Assessing
Susceptibility from Early-Life Exposure to Carcinogens, EPA, 2005.
The EPA issued revised principles and procedures for assessing
carcinogen risks from exposures to environmental pollutants. They will
apply to EPA’s current and future assessments.
http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/cfm/recordisplay.cfm?deid=116283
<Top>
Global Mining Initiative (GMI)
Global Mining Initiative: A Guide to MMSD (Mining, Minerals, Sustainable Development),
October 1, 2000. Outline of objectives of the GMI, a two-year project of
the mining industry to address its role in sustainable development. The
outcome of the report will be carried to the World Summit for
Sustainable Development schedule for Johannesburg, 26 August to 4
September, 2002. http://www.iied.org/mmsd/finalreport/index.html
Response to the draft report is posted at: www.iied.org/mmsd/draftreport/rcv_comments.html
<Top>
Impacts of Mining
“Superfund
and Mining Megasites: Lessons from the Coeur d’Alene River Basin”, a
book from the National Research Council, 2005, 382 pp. EPA has listed
tens of square miles of the Basin as a Superfund site because of Pb, As,
Cd, and Zn contamination. The first stage of cleanup will cost
$359,000,000 over 30 years. Issues and concerns about EPA’s decisions are
discussed. http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11359.html
“Mineral Commodity Summaries 2005”, US Geological Survey, January 6,
2005. The USA is increasingly dependent on imports for minerals. Imports
increased 30% in 2004 over 2003 to a value of $66 billion. For 17
minerals we depend 100% on imports. The value of all mineral-based
products manufactured in the USA was $418 billion in 2004. Industries
that use mineral materials added $1.97 trillion to the USA’s GDP of $11.7
trillion in 2004, i.e., 17%. The USA mining and mineral processing
industries continued to lose both jobs and, in many cases, production
while productivity continued to improve.
https://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/mcs/2005/mcs2005.pdf.
<Top>
Jobs in Mining
“Future
Generation of Mining Engineers”, Skelly and Loy quarterly
newsletter, Spring 2004. Schools that graduate mining engineers are
listed and some of their programs are described. Salaries for graduates
are provided. The need for more graduates is restated.
Read the Article
“Recruits
Hungry for Good Jobs Head Off to Coal Mines”, USA Today newspaper,
Money Section, February 15, 2006. Demand for miners is high. Pay is good
compared to other occupations. Job safety is excellent.
Read the Article
Mining
Engineering Graduates Need to Triple Over Next 10 Years, Experts Note”,
NMA Mining Week, National Mining Association, September 2, 2005, p.4.
Just to replace retiring engineers will require three times as many new
graduates as are now being produced. New B.S. graduates earn
$50-$60,000/year. There is a growing labor shortage in all parts of the
minerals business.
http://nma.org/newsroom/miningweek/miningweekarchive/pdf2005/mw090205.pdf
“The
graying and retiring of the mining industry”, Dorothy Kosich, March
8, 2005. Few young persons are entering the minerals business and with
the ‘greying’ of the industry this means that opportunities for
advancement are excellent. Hindrances are a biased opinion of the
business, most jobs are outside metropolitan areas, and the cyclical
nature of the business.
http://www.mineweb.net/sections/sustainable_mining/422273.htm
“Mining
Jobs Available, No Workers”, Mining Engineering, SME, February 2005,
p. 4. The mining industry is having a hard time filling jobs. The
industry is booming. Annual wages including benefits reach $60,000/year
for skilled tradesmen and operators.
http://me.smenet.org/200502/css/index.cfm
<Top>
Land
“Incentives and Conservation: The Next Generation of
Environmentalists”, PERC (Property & Environment Research
Center, 2004. This book is about wetland regulations, the growth of land
trusts, the history of eco-industrial parks, the role of property
rights, entrepreneurship, and the importance of time-and-place specifics
of environmental protection. http://perc.org/publications/books/incentives.php
“Bush Gives States More Say Over Road-Building on Federal
Lands", James Hoare, Environment & Climate News, September
2004, p.1. It was announced on July 12, 2004 that national forests will
no longer be off-limits to new road construction. This rescinds one of
President Clinton’s last acts which was to put 60 million acres
off-limits for logging and the building of new roads. http://heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=15545
<Top>
Legal Approaches to Environmentalism
The Greening of Foreign Policy, J. Bishop Grewell, PERC
Reports, March 2001, p. 7. A dangerous paradigm shift has occurred by
adding an environmental component to the conduct of international
affairs. For example, 2% of the Department of Defense budget is for
environmental programs. www.perc.org
<Top>
Mercury
“Mercury in
Perspective: Fact and Fiction About the Debate Over Mercury”, R. W.
Pombo (Chrm House Resources Committee) and J. Gibbons (Chrm Mineral
Resources Subcommittee), 2/16/05. The paper is a comprehensive synopsis
of the federal agency, private and recently peer-reviewed research used
in the debate over regulating mercury. The cumulative body of science
supports the Bush Administration's proposed cap and trade program, the
first federal program to ever regulate mercury from power plants. Cap
and trade programs have already proven effective with other priority
pollutants.
http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/Press/reports/mercury_in_perspective.pdf
“A Review of
DOE/NETL’s Mercury Control Technology R&D Program for Coal-Fired Power
Plants”, T.J. Feeley, J. Murphy, J. Hoffmann, S. A. Renniger, US
Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory and SAI
Corp., April 2003. This paper is part of the basis for the nation’s
first set of regulations to control mercury emissions from power plants.
The regulations impose nationwide caps to reduce emissions 70% by 2018
while giving individual power plants the flexibility to adopt new
technology as it becomes available and determine the best way to meet
the new limits.
http://fossil.energy.gov/programs/powersystems/pollutioncontrols/mercurycontrols_whitepaper.pdf
“Mercury
Policy”, Government Affairs Program of American Geological
Institute, March 21, 2005. This updated site gives recent and past
governmental legislative activity along with the background to
understand it.
http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis109/mercury.html
“2004 Annual
Progress Report on the Great Lakes Binational Toxics Strategy”, EPA.
Toxic chemicals in the Great Lakes area (mercury, hexachlorobenzene (HCB),
dioxins/furans, and PCBs) have been significantly reduced. Of the 17
reduction goals set in 1997, ten have been met, three will be met by
2006, and the remaining four will be well advanced by 2006. Mercury use
in the USA, for example, has been reduced more than 50% based on a 1990
baseline.
http://binational.net/bns/2004/index.html
“Alaska
Disputes EPA Mercury Guidelines”, James M. Taylor, Environment &
Climate News, The Heartland Institute, June 2005, p.1. Alaska tells its
citizens to eat 10 to 60 ounces of fish per week instead of limiting it
to 12 oz/wk as the EPA and FDA recommend.
http://heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=17159
“Significant
Mercury Emissions Reductions Highlight Mining Industry TRI Data”,
National Mining Association, May 11, 2005. The gold mines in Nevada cut
mercury emissions by 33% to 2.2 tons in 2003.
http://nma.org/#
“Hg & the
Basics”, Edison Electric Institute, 2004. This user-friendly site is
designed to provide a straightforward approach to addressing key mercury
issues: The Basics, Mercury and Fish, Mercury and Your Health, Mercury
and Power Plants, Mercury Regulation, Mercury and Technology, and more.
Serving as a portal to mercury info on the Web, the site also features
charts and graphs, fact sheets, quotes from media and the EPA, and links
to third-party resources.
http://www.mercuryanswers.org/
“New
Jersey Ignores Science on Mercury”, James Taylor, Environment &
Climate News, April 2005, p. 1. A report titled ‘Mercury in
Perspective: Fact and Fiction about the Debate Over Mercury’ was
released February 16 by the Resources Committee of the U.S. House of
Representatives. It shows that the most current peer-reviewed science
does not support conclusions that the U.S. population is at risk from
the trace amounts of mercury found in fish. Only 2% of environmental
mercury comes from U. S. man-made emissions … 61% from natural sources.
http://heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=16804
“Mercury in Perspective”. The House Resources Committee, 2005. A
new report on mercury emissions includes a wealth of factual information
that puts the issue in perspective. Dangers of toxic mercury pollution
in the environment have been overstated. For example, mercury levels in
fish have remained constant or declined slightly since the 1970s. The
current fish scare is unwarranted.
http://resourcescommittee.house.gov
“EPA Releases Notice of Data Availability for Clean Air Mercury Rule”,
National Mining Association, December 2, 2004. The Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) this week released a “Notice of Data
Availability” (NODA) for its proposed Clean Air Mercury Rule. The NODA
summarizes the more than 680,000 public comments received during the
comment period and solicits further comment on new data and information
to help EPA evaluate which regulatory approach will best reduce mercury
emissions from power plants.
http://www.nma.org/newsroom/miningweek/miningweekarchive/asp2004/mw120304.asp
“How safe are we from the fish we eat?”, Center for Science
& Public Policy, September 2004. There is no evidence supporting
claims that eating ocean fish exposes pregnant women and infants to
health risks. There is greater health risk in avoiding fish than in
consuming it. EPA’s mercury reference dose should be re-evaluated
because it is based on the flawed Faroe Islands children study. Mercury
in oceans would remain constant even if the U.S. could eliminate all
mercury emissions. http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=37111
“Health Threat of Mercury Overblown, Scientists Say”,
James M. Taylor, Environment News, May 1, 2004, published by The
Heartland Institute. The EPA and the FDA issued a joint advisory that
emphasized the small hypothetical risk from increased exposure to
mercury is offset by the benefits of eating fish. http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=14857
<Top>
Mining Law of 1872
“Mining
Law Issues”, Northwest Mining Association website, Issues,
commentary from 2001 through December 2, 2005.
http://www.nwma.org/issues.asp
‘U. S.
House Passes Mining Law Reform’, editorial in Engineering and
Mining Journal, December 2005, p.4. The House changes to the law are now
before the Senate. The changes include 1) patent fees for claims would
be raised from $5 to $1,000 or fair market value (whichever is higher),
2) the 11-year moratorium on mining patents will be lifted, and 3)
operators can sell the land after mining and leave in place some surface
facilities that would be of value to the next owner.
http://www.mining-media.com/emj/current.html
“Mining
on Federal Lands”, M. Humphries, Congressional Research Service of
the Library of Congress, February 28, 2005. Three bills pertaining to
hardrock mining were introduced in the 108th Congress and are discussed
herein, but there was no House or Senate action: the Elimination of
Double Subsidies for the Hardrock Mining Industry Act of 2003 (S. 44),
the Abandoned Hardrock Mines Reclamation Act of 2003 (H.R. 504), and the
Mineral Exploration and Development Act of 2003 (H.R. 2141). H.R. 504
would have established a Reclamation Fund financed by reclamation fees
imposed on hardrock mineral producers. H.R. 2141 would have imposed an
8% net smelter royalty, allowed for an unsuitability review by the
Secretary of the Interior or Agriculture, and established a reclamation
bond or financial guarantee and a reclamation fund. Also in both
sessions of the 108th Congress, the Interior and Related Agencies
appropriations bills included a provision to retain a patent moratorium
that has been imposed annually since 1995.
http://www.ncseonline.org/nle/crsreports/05Feb/IB89130.pdf
http://www.ncseonline.org/NLE/CRS/abstract.cfm?NLEid=38551
“The Mining
Law Millsite Debate”, M. Humphries, Congressional Research Service
of The Library of Congress, September 14, 1999, 7pp. This report
provides background and analysis on the debate over whether the miUsite
language (30 USC 42) in the Mining Law of 1872 allows only one five-acre
millsite per mining claim. In practice, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
has allowed for as many millsites as can be justified for developing the
orebody.
http://www.ncseonline.org/NLE/CRS/abstract.cfm?NLEid=16548
http://www.ncseonline.org/NLE/CRS/Detail.cfm?Category=Mining
“Mining
Policy”, Government Affairs Program of the American Geological
Institute, June 13, 2005. Recent and past legislative actions are
described. Background information is provided on the Mining Law of 1872.
http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis109/mining.html
“Two Cheers
for the 1872 Mining Law”, R. L. Gordon and P. Van Doren, Policy
Analysis, CATO Institute, April 4, 1998. The benefits and problems of
the current law are discussed.
http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=1159
“Wholesale
Changes Are Not Needed”, Andrew W. Berg, Mining Engineering, SME,
May 2005, pp. 8-9. A few changes to the mining law are needed by there
is no justification for a royalty.
http://me.smenet.org/200505/css/index.cfm
Norton
Urges Enactment of Mining Law Reform, Mining Week, National
Mining Association, November 2, 2001. Recommendations: 1) permanent
authorization of a mining claim holding fee, 2) revision of the patent
system, 3) authorization of a production payment system, 4)
authorization of administrative penalties, 5) an expanded role for the
States in managing the mining program. www.nma.org
Update
on Mining Law and Regulatory Reform, American Geological Institute’s
Government Affairs Program, 10/25/01. Both recent actions and background
information are presented. http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis107/mining.html
The
Mining of the West --- The Rest of the Story, Laura Skaer, Northwest
Mining Association, 6/26/01. This is a response to McClure and
Schneider's self-styled expose entitled "The Mining of the
West," which ran in the Seattle Post Intelligencer the week of June
11. It gives needed balance and truth to the expose story.
http://www.nwma.org/Press%20Releases/Mining%20The%20WEst.htm
John
Sturgul presents an articulate argument in support of rational U.S. Mining Law
amendments and the very real plight of the domestic mining industry. http://www.spokesmanreview.com/news-story.asp?date=101101&ID=s1037064
Hardrock Mining, the 1872 Law, and the U.S. Economy, Bernard A.
Gelb,
Economics Division of Congressional Research Service, July 1, 1994. An analysis
of changes to the mining law including hypothetical royalty calculations. http://www.cnie.org/nle/mine-3.html
Mining Law of 1872 Reform Update, Governmental Affairs Program of the
American Geological Institute, 11-27-00. History of the mining law plus recent
enacted and proposed changes. http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis106/miningup99.html
Mining Law of 1872, Jeanine Ferianacek of Holland & Hart LLP, 1999. A
summary of the law including up-to-date amendments. Gives US Code references. http://www.findlaw.com/casecode/
The Mining Law of 1872: A Legal and Historical Analysis, T. S. Ary, June 1989,
162pp. This book has ISBN#0937299146. Members of Congress, environmentalists,
and the mining industry debate the law of 1872. At issue are legal principles,
U.S. security, and individual rights granted American citizens 119 years ago. http://www.nlcpi.org/search/Detail.CFM?ID=61
<Top>
Miscellaneous
“USA to Mint
24-Karat Gold Bullion Coin”, Northwest Mining Association Bulletin,
April/May 2005, p.3. The USA has no 24-karat (99.99%) gold bullion
coin. The American Eagle series are 22-karat (91.6%). 60% of worldwide
bullion sales are 24-karat coins. Planning and development of the coins
will start in 2005.
http://www.nwma.org/bulletin.asp
“Mining
Executives Rate the Investment Climate of Jurisdictions Around the World”,
Fred McMahon, The Fraser Institute, 3/7/2005. Companies responsible for
a combined total of US$798 million in international exploration
(expected in 2005) rate the policy attractiveness and mineral potential
of mining jurisdictions in North American and internationally.
http://www.fraserinstitute.ca/shared/readmore.asp?sNav=nr&id=648
Mining in the USA
“Summary of Hearings
on Mining”, American Geological Institute’s Governmental Affairs Program,
7-23-03
. The House Resources Subcommittee
on Energy and Mineral Resources met on July 17th to consider the role of
strategic and critical minerals in maintaining national economic security.
Witnesses representing the mining industry argued that US mineral resources have
not been depleted and could be mined in an environmentally responsible and
economically profitable manner if regulations and the permitting process were
streamlined and enforced. Their testimonies were unchallenged and the need for a
national mineral policy was stressed throughout the hearing.
Witnesses were: Charles G. Groat, Director of U.S. Geological Survey;
Hugh Hanes, Brush Wellman, Inc.; Robert J. Noel, Metals Availability Initiative
Consortium; Ann Carpenter, Women's Mining Coalition; Douglas B. Silver,
President of Balfour Holdings, Inc. http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis108/mining_hearings.html
<Top>
Nuclear Power, Nuclear Waste, Radiation, and Uranium
“Burning
Bright: Nuclear Energy’s Future”, L. Foulke and H. S. Burnett, Brief
Analysis by National Center for Policy Analysis, March 28, 2005.
Officials from 74 countries met in Paris at the behest of the United
Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency and issued a declaration
that nuclear power could ‘make a major contribution to meeting energy
needs and sustaining the world’s development’.
http://ncpa.org/pub/ba/ba511/
“Nuclear
Energy Policy”, Mark Holt, Congressional Research Service Reports of
the National Library for the Environment, July 18, 2005. Several
provisions of the recent energy legislation affecting nuclear power are
identified. Federal budgets for nuclear energy are increased slightly.
The opening of Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository in Nevada has
been postponed two years to 2012.
http://www.ncseonline.org/NLE/CRS/abstract.cfm?NLEid=22054
“Blue-Ribbon
Government Panel Lauds Nuclear Energy”, Jay Lehr, Environment &
Climate News, The Heartland Institute, June 2005, p.6. The U.S.
Department of Energy’s Nuclear Energy Task Force found all obstacles to
the resumption of new growth in nuclear power generation to be readily
surmountable through a coordinated public and private effort.
Information if given about costs, safety, health, economic benefits, and
pollution.
http://heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=17170
"Chinese Aim
to Capitalize on Safe, Revolutionary Nuclear Technology”,
Environment & Climate News, The Heartland Institute, November 2004, p.
14. China needs much more energy. It has most of the heavily polluted
cities in the world. It is responding with nuclear power.
http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=15901
“Making the
Case for Nuclear Power”, Environment & Climate News, The Heartland
Institute, February 2005, pp. 15-16. An excellent book about nuclear
energy has been written by Senator Pete Domenici of New Mexico. The
title is “A Brighter Tomorrow: Fulfilling the Promise of Nuclear
Energy”. It sets forth the remarkably good record of nuclear power over
the past 50 years and it debunks many nuclear myths. It recommends more
nuclear energy in the future.
http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=16389
<Top>
Permitting
Process
“How Do We Get
Approval To Quarry?”, Mark Williams, Skelly and Loy quarterly
newsletter, Fall 2004. This is a plaintive cry for understanding by the
public officials along with suggestions for paving the way to obtain a
permit.
Read the Article.
“Responsible
Gold”, Northwest Mining Association, 2005. This interactive site
will respond to your questions. One link is to the National Mining
Association’s site titled, U.S. Laws and Regulations Governing gold
Mining ion Private and Federal Lands that outlines much of the
permitting process that a new mine performs.
http://www.responsiblegold.org/laws.asp
“Hardrock
Mining: State Regulation”, A. Flynn, Congressional Research Service
of the Library of Congress, March 14, 2005. This report is a survey of
state laws governing certain aspects of hardrock mining. It is not a
comprehensive description of each state’s regulatory program, but
instead focuses on (1) state imposed royalty rates and rental charges
for hardrock minerals on state lands and (2) reclamation and bonding
requirements for hardrock mining activities applicable to all mining
operations.
http://www.ncseonline.org/NLE/CRS/abstract.cfm?NLEid=64189
http://www.ncseonline.org/nle/crsreports/05mar/RL32813.pdf
“Bush
plan streamlines strip mine permits”, Ken Ward Jr., WV Gazette-Mail,
February 11, 2005. The Bush administration on Thursday announced a plan
to allow states to streamline the way coal operators obtain new strip
mine permits.
http://wvgazette.com/section/Series/200502112
<Top>
Property Rights
“Water
trades work elsewhere: Why not in the Basin?”,
Jane Shaw, Property & Environment Research Center (PERC), June 4, 2004.
Does the protection of endangered fish trump ranchers’ contracts for
irrigation water? The U. S. Supreme Court is considering the issue based
on a conflict in California.
http://www.perc.org/publications/opeds/klamath_trades.php
<Top>
Reclamation (Rebeautification)
"Facts
on Reclamation”, National Mining Association. General information
about what reclamation is and the amount of land restored since 1978 .
References are given to the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA)
and other federal laws affecting mining operations.
http://nma.org/policy/reclamation/reclamation_info.asp
The USFS has published a Draft Reclamation Bonding Guide. The guide is posted on line at http://www.fs.fed.us/geology/draft_guide.html.
<Top>
Recycling
“Steel
Recycling Hits 25-year High in the USA”, Steel Recycling Institute,
4/19/05. The recycling rate for the world’s and the USA’s steel was
70.7% in 2004. The amount recycled in the USA in 2004 was 76 million
tons. More ‘old’ steel than ever before was recycled. This is helping
to keep America beautiful.
http://www.recycle-steel.org/rates.html
<Top>
Regulation
“Responsible
Gold”, Northwest Mining Association, 2005. This interactive site
will respond to your questions. One link is to the National Mining
Association’s site titled, U.S. Laws and Regulations Governing gold
Mining ion Private and Federal Lands that outlines much of the
permitting process that a new mine performs.
http://www.responsiblegold.org/laws.asp
Regulations - BLM 43CFR3809
“3809
Issues”, Northwest Mining Association website, Issues. Commentary
about the 3809 regulations along with the regulations themselves from
the year 2001 through April 2004.
http://www.nwma.org/issues.asp
“Information
About and Action Needed on BLM 43CFR3809 Regulations”, position
paper by Mining and Metallurgical Society of America. Distortions about
the mining business are discussed and recommendations are made about the
‘3809 rule’. http://www.mmsa.net/3809Regs.html
“Revisions
for Section 3809”, position paper by the National Mining
Association. The paper provides background information, describes the
issue, and defines the impact of mining on the USA’s way of life.
http://www.nma.org/policy/regulatory/revisions_3809_reg.asp
“MPC
Analysis: The New 3809 Regulations”, A. Septoff and C. Carlson,
Mineral Policy Center, February 2001. The new regulations are needed to
prevent unnecessary or undue degradation of the public lands. http://www.earthworksaction.org/pubs/3809Analysis_FINAL.pdf
“Hardrock
Mining On Federal Lands”. This is the executive summary of the
National Research Council’s report to Congress that assesses the
adequacy of the regulatory framework for hardrock mining on federal
lands. There is discussion about hardrock mining and the environment and
about the existing regulatory framework. Conclusions and recommendations
are made.
http://books.nap.edu/html/hardrock_fed_lands/exec_summ.html
Regulations - RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act)
“Regulations
and Standards”, EPA. Here is the law, regulations, history, and
training/orientation modules. Easy to use guides.
http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/laws-reg.htm
http://www.epa.gov/rcraonline/
“RCRA:
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act”, Safety Emporium. This
website provides MSDS information on chemicals, summaries and complete
versions of the RCRA law, and free software for dealing with RCRA.
http://www.ilpi.com/msds/ref/rcra.html
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Research & Development
Rand
Report: Perspective on the Study ,
D. J. Peterson, et al, Mining & Engineering Journal, October 2001,
pp. ww34-ww42. Rand provides perspectives and implications for public and
private sector mining organizations about mining related R&D in the future. www.e-mj.com
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Roadless Areas
Public Comment: Ten Questions to Help Guide the Decision
Process, USDA Forest Service. Public comment on the roadless issue is
due by September 10, 2001. The ten questions are intended to help you
probe this issue of roadless areas and can be found at http://www.roadless.fs.fed.us/xcomments.shtml.
The proposed legislation is given at http://www.roadless.fs.fed.us/documents/anpr.html.
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Safety
“Potential
Hazards Of Noise And Respirable Silica Dust Exposure”, Skelly and
Loy quarterly newsletter, Spring 2005. Regulations for noise are
provided and the dangers of silica dust are discussed.
Read the Article.
“Mining
Noise: Emission, Analysis, Mitigation”, Skelly and Loy quarterly
newsletter, Winter 2003. Noise sources, their analysis and prediction,
and methods of mitigating noise problems are all described.
Read the Article
“Keeping
Miners Alive”, Gargi Chakrabarty, Rocky Mountain News story,
February 4, 2006. The devices and procedures for keeping miners safe are
described. The excellent mining safety record in the USA, and in
Colorado particularly, is discussed. The record has been consistently
getting better.
Read the Article.
‘CMA
Announces Safety Award Winners’, Colorado Mining Association,
January 26, 2006. Colorado’s mining industry has had one of the safest
years on record. Since 1995, coal operators have reduced the injury rate
by 58% while production has increased by 65%. Overall, the mining
industry is safer than construction, manufacturing, and the retail and
wholesale trades.
http://www.coloradomining.org/news.html
“Improving
Continuous Miner Safety”, Coal News, June 2005, p. 18. MSHA reported
that remote ratio controlled continuous mining machines without an
onboard operator are now the norm in underground coal mining. Procedures
for using them to maximize safety are discussed.
http://coalnews.net/view.php?id=8&y=2005&m=06
“Mining
Fatalities Decline to New Record Low”, U. S. Department of Labor (MSHA),
news release on January 5, 2005. Mining fatalities in the United States
fell to a new low.
http://www.msha.gov/MEDIA/PRESS/2005/NR050105.asp <Top>
Sustainable Development
“Sustainable
Development”, Coal News, November 2005, p.16. This article
summarizes a talk given by Dirk vanZyl. It defines and gives vanZyl’s
interpretation of sustainable development.
http://www.coalnews.net/view.php?id=354&y=2005&m=11
“Economists and
Environmentalists”,
Research Report from American Institute for Economic
Research, December 9, 2002. Sustainability cannot be planned. If it is, it leads
to centralized planning which is a failed economic system. The only way economic
development can be sustained is to preserve freedom of individual thought and
action.
http://www.aier.org/2002pubs/RR23.pdf
News release in The Drift of Things section of Mining Engineering, December
2002, p. 4. AngloGold in South Africa distributes anti-AIDS drugs to its
HIV-positive workers (about 25% of workforce).
The cost is $4 to $6 per ounce of gold produced; failing to manage the
problem would cost $9/oz.
http://me.smenet.org/200212/css/min0212_04.cfm
“Why I Hate Sermons”, Douglas B. Silver, Mining Engineering,
February 2004, p. 7, SME. This is an interesting response to the ‘sustainable
development’ fever. The mining business has been sustainable for millennia and
that implies that our practices have been acceptable to the majority.
"Experts
React to Sustainable Washington Report", Environment & Climate
News, May 2003. The Sustainable Washington Advisory Panel developed several
suggestions "for using human, environmental, and economic resources more
wisely, including the use of energy-efficient products, recycled materials, and
conservation programs." The Panel’s recommendations were widely
criticized by the news media as well as experts. http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=12104
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Tailings Dams
Tailings Dam Performance from USCOLD
Incident-survey Data, discussion by A. Agnew of C. Strachan’s paper,
Mining Engineering, January 2002, pp. 47-48. This paper clarifies some of
Strachan’s information. www.smenet.org
Chronology of Major Tailings Dam Failures, 1960 through August 2001.
United Nations Environment Program. http://www.antenna.nl/wise/uranium/mdaf.html
<Top>
Technology is the Answer
“EPA,
sound science validate biotech corn benefits”, James M. Taylor, Environment
& Climate News, January 2002. Sound
science has debunked yet another purported biotech scare, as the
Environmental Protection Agency on October 16, 2001, declared biotech
corn perfectly safe for monarch butterfly consumption.
http://www.heartland.org/
and click on ‘environment’.
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Toxic Release Inventory
“Community Right to Know (TRI)”, updated May 2005, prepared by
Colorado Mining Association. The Toxic Release Inventory was established
as a part of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA)
of 1986. This site defines was TRI is, what is reported, how are these
chemicals managed, health risk profiles, production of these chemicals,
economic impacts, and FAQs.
http://www.coloradomining.org/tri.html
“Significant Mercury Emissions Reductions Highlight Mining Industry TRI
Data”, National Mining Association, May 11, 2005. Data for the year
2003 show the percentage of total national emissions that are
attributable to the minerals business for air, surface waters, offsite
treatment, underground injection, and on land for onsite management.
http://nma.org/#
“Toxics
Release Inventory (TRI)”, National Mining Association. General
information about what TRI is, FAQs, risk in perspective, chemical fact
sheets, and resources for more information.
http://nma.org/policy/tri/tri_index.asp “Toxics Release Inventory (TRI)”, National Mining Association’s
information about TRI, December 2, 2004. What is TRI? FAQs. Risks.
Chemical Fact Sheets. Resources for more information.
http://www.nma.org/policy/tri/tri_index.asp <Top>
Water
“A Way To
Clean Up Toxic Mines”, P. Limerick and T. Brown, The Denver Post,
February 5, 2006, p. E1. A plea is made to enact changes to the Clean
Water Act so that those who clean up dirty mine waters, even though they
did not create them, will not be held financially and legally
responsible. Such changes are in the works as “Good Samaritan”
amendments to the Act.
http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_3469786
Current Drinking Water Standards, EPA, July 2002. National Primary
Drinking Water Regulations are legally enforceable standards that apply to
public water systems. Primary standards protect public health by limiting the
levels of contaminants in drinking water. http://www.epa.gov/safewater/mcl.html
Myths and Facts
About the Environment, The National Center for Public Policy Research’s
Earth Day 2002 Fact Sheet, April 2002. Commonly accepted myths are challenged by
facts. http://www.nationalcenter.org/EarthDay02Myths.html
<Top>
Wetlands
‘Wetlands
and Coastal Resources Policy (11-15-05)’, Government Affairs Program of the
American Geological Institute. The benefits of wetlands, the laws and rules that
govern them, and the debates concerning their use and care are discussed.
http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis109/wetlands.html
"EPA and Army Corps of Engineers Attempt to Define
'Wetland'", Gary Baise and Bryan Brendle, Environment & Climate
News, The Heartland Institute, May 2003. The Bush administration appears
poised to re-define what constitutes a "wetland" for purposes of the
Clean Water Act (CWA). Doing so may expedite construction projects and
agricultural activity in many parts of the country and bring some common sense
to EPA’s wetland permitting program. http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=12091
"Kentuckians for the Commonwealth vs Rivenburgh", U.
S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals decision concerning discharge of
dredged or fill material and its impact on the regulation of wetlands in the
U.S. This decision addresses questions of jurisdiction over a broad class of
activities involving dredging or filling activities. It clarifies what
constitutes a regulatable discharge to waters of the U.S. during mechanized land
clearing, ditching, channelization, in-stream mining, or other mechanized
excavation activities. http://pacer.ca4.uscourts.gov/opinion.pdf/021736.P.pdf
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Wildlife
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