America’s House Natural Resources Committee began full committee mark up of HR 2262, The Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007 on Thursday October 18. The mark up will continue on Tuesday morning, October 23. Although a number of changes have been made to the original bill in response to industry concerns, the bill still contains many onerous provisions that will curtail, if not end hardrock mining on public lands and increase US reliance on foreign sources of minerals. “In fact, several of the amendments offered today will undo some of the progress that has been made,” the Northwest Mining Association (NWMA) reports. “Your Representative and members of the Natural Resources Committee need to hear from you, your fellow employees, colleagues and friends.

“We have made that easy to do with NWMA’s Grassroots Power Site. Go to http://www.grassrootspower.net/nwma/home.aspx and click on Mining Law Reform under “What’s New” and follow the directions. You will be taken to a point and click letter that you can send as drafted or add your own personal comments (recommended).You also can access the site directly from the NWMA homepage by clicking on the green grassroots power site logo on the left-hand side of the NWMA webpage.

“It is important that you TAKE ACTION today so that members of natural Resources Committee hear from you and know your concerns.

 “NWMA supports reasonable and responsible Mining Law amendments that provide the certainty needed to attract investment capital; ensure a prosperous domestic mining industry; preserve mining’s high paying jobs; decrease our nation’s reliance on foreign sources of minerals; provide a net proceeds royalty that is fair to the American people and industry; provide security of tenure from mineral entry to closure; and uses royalty revenue to secure, close and clean up abandoned mines. HR 2262 falls far short of meeting these criteria.”