Westward, Ho!
During Reconstruction following the Civil War, the Ulysses S. Grant Administration passed the General Mining Law of 1872 to encourage pioneers to develop the untamed Wild West. Today, however, the challenge is ensuring that the West is a clean, safe place to live for the descendants of those pioneers.  Unfortunately and incomprehensibly the same law governs the hardrock mining industry some 136 years later.

A Free Pass for Mining Polluters: 136 Years and Counting
Currently, the hardrock mining industry makes up less than 1% of our nations economy but contributes to 46% of industrial pollution.  The environmental ramifications are vast, including the contamination of 40% of our Western headwaters with runoff from mining sites that include cyanide and arsenic. The EPA estimates that cleanup time for this mining-caused pollution is between 10 years and perpetuity.
 
In contrast to the coal, oil and gas industries, mining companies even foreign-owned companies have the right to extract minerals from American public lands without paying a cent in royalty fees.   Moreover, the 1872 law does not hold mining interests accountable for paying to clean up the mess they leave behind.  Cleanup costs of abandoned mine lands are estimated at $50 billion, a burden the American taxpayer is largely expected to bear.  
 
The 1872 law mandates that mining interests receive preferential treatment in all uses of public lands, trumping uses including recreation, hunting and fishing. Due to the legislation, land managers have little choice but to grant almost all requested permits. For example, over 800 permits have been granted to conduct uranium drilling in close proximity to the Grand Canyon due to its rich uranium content, posing a risk both to public health and to our national treasures.

Seeking Modern Solutions
LCV is working hard to promote modern legislation geared toward solving these issues.  Among our key priorities are:

• Balancing mining with other important uses of public land
• Protecting National Parks and Monuments from destructive mining practices
• Protecting special places from new mining claims
• Giving local communities input
• Establishing strong environmental standards to prevent further water contamination
• Accelerating cleanup of abandoned mines through a robust royalty program