New Mexico to Lead Nation into 21st Century on Mining?
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April 1, 2009
Albuquerque - New Mexico could lead the way from the 19th century into the 21st when it comes to mining. Senator Jeff Bingaman chairs the Senate Natural Resources Committee and is reportedly preparing to champion a measure to reform an 1872 law which governs hardrock mining on federal lands. Under that current law, federal environmental safeguards don't always apply to mining companies and, unlike the oil and gas industries, they don't have to pay royalties for what they remove from public land.
Nathan Newcomer, associate director of the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance says it's time for the industry to pay its way.
"That's just unheard of, considering the damage that mining does cause to water quality and to public lands."
Newcomer says reforming the law is especially important to the Land of Enchantment, which is home to more than 21,000 active mining claims and another estimated 20,000 abandoned mines.
"Many of those we have no location on where they are or what types of toxic leakage might be spilling into our western watersheds."
Newcomer says the way mining operates now under the old law leaves local and federal governments hamstrung, with little power to control mining companies, even in the face of strong local opposition.
"That's disturbing when you have an industry, that can come in and basically take everything out from under you, not pay you a single dime for it, and then have none of your concerns addressed about the protection of wildlife, wilderness or water quality."
The hardrock mining reform legislation being considered by Congress would require royalty payments. While mining companies say they're not altogether opposed to paying royalties, they believe the proposed amounts and other fees are too high, and might result in smaller mining operations and layoffs. But supporters of the reforms say reclamation fees could help struggling local governments by providing funding to clean up abandoned mine sites, as well as creating jobs.
The House already held a hearing earlier this year on its version of a reform bill, and Newcomer says he's looking forward to the introduction of a bill in the Senate.