Politicians love to portray those of us in the minerals business as a bunch of profit-motivated pillagers of the environment which simply isn’t the case. And they use this erroneous assertion as a lever to promote their own political agendas which will only do long term harm to the constituency they represent.
CIGA George, a minerals industry veteran who is right in the thick of this maelstrom in Washington, DC, says succinctly: “If this bill, or something close passes, Ross Perot’s ‘giant sucking sound’ will happen, and it will be the US mining industry packing up and leaving for Tanzania, Brazil, Ecuador, Papua New Guinea, Mongolia, and anywhere else that people understand the economic jump-start that America’s safe and environmentally responsible mining can bring to their resource-rich countries.”
(We all know you made this leap to greener pastures a long time ago and are now reaping the benefits of your foresight).
Far from being intransigent on this issue, the U.S. minerals industry recognizes that a compromise solution might serve everyone’s interests, especially given the prospects of the Democrats regaining power after the next election.
CIGA George has graciously provided us with some background information on this issue, the importance of which shouldn’t be underestimated by Americans. Readers might consider excerpting commentary from the “Statement of Administration Policy” and contacting their Senators from both parties expressing their concerns.
Press Release
U.S. Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) Floor Statement On General Debate Of H.R. 2262 “The Hardrock Mining & Reclamation Act Of 2007”
November 1, 2007
“Should this bill become law, it will end mining in the United States, increase our dependence on foreign nations for minerals that are abundant in our own nation, and eliminate the jobs of tens of thousands of Americans in the process. Our economic and national security will suffer, and our children will the pay the price. It’s that simple.”
Rep. Young
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STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY
H.R. 2262 – Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007
(Rep. Rahall (D) WV and 62 cosponsors)
The Administration supports the environmentally responsible development of hardrock minerals on public lands and would like to work with Congress to update the Mining Law, including the authorization of production payments and administrative penalties. The administration also believes that any legislative solution must be accomplished in a way that provides a reasonable level of certainty to the industry while pursuing goals to protect our environment. The Administration believes that royalty provisions should be prospective, should avoid constitutional concerns, and should be set at a level that does not threaten the continued, reliable domestic mineral production on which this Nation relies.
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