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EDITOR: The Center for Biological Diversity decided that Fish and Game’s new dredging rules are not going to fly, so it filed a lawsuit requesting another Environmental Impact Report.
What a scam.
These people are out to kill our heritage as sure as the sun shines. More than half of them are attorneys — need I say more? They stopped logging for an owl that lived in the old growth forest. That was found not to be true; sure they live there, as well as in my neighbor’s backyard. They said that we destroyed yellow legged frog’s habitat. It was false, Fish and Game did that on their own by introducing non-native trout, along with a virus that our common coastal frog carries.
If CBD couldn’t sue someone they would lose their six figure jobs and would have to work for a living. Our government is so crooked, that if any one of us tried to pull scams over someone as they do we would be put in jail and have the key thrown away.
People wake up. They are putting more people out of work than China and you don’t see it. If we don’t get a new government soon, fishermen will be fishing in ponds stocked with sunfish, miners will be pulling teeth for gold and rafters will be tubing in their bath tubs.
Oh, you off-roaders, you’re on their list too, with 42 roads closed. Fight for your rights. They are the only thing that they can’t stop us from doing.
MARTIN SCHUMANN
Placerville
The Mountain Democrat does not necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full policy
Marge CohenApril 16, 2012 - 3:26 pm
Oh, dear. Sir, I suggest that you enlist a friend to proofread your rants prior to submitting them. Your letter is less than coherent and you do your cause little good when we have to guess what you are so angry about.
1036-FrankApril 16, 2012 - 8:25 pm
This is about content not composition. This is RIGHT on the money. The truth is they need litigation for confiscation of rights and with the right judge in the wrong city or district or Federal Court these rights disappear like leaves in the fall. The right to mine, fish, hunt, camp, use your 4x4, or snow machine are all threatened and the outlook is terrible. This started with an enviro movment that went over the top and kept going. The idea of "Wilderness" areas proclaimed everywhere is part of it, even those with roads in them. It is for the "Legacy" of the thoughtless politician that excludes 90% of the people from the public lands by these actions of restriction and regulation and of couse no staff to enforce them. Even your private property is under assault by regulation of a constant nature that never ceases to amaze. It is at a tipping point that these land grabbers and regulators are beyond the pale of ridiculousness.
MartinApril 22, 2012 - 7:07 pm
Marge, I am directing my comments to the average citizen not my professor, you don't care what the blue collar worker needs to survive in this over regulated society. Quit trying to show off your ability to belittle people; It only show your inability to understand what is happening to our heritage and how our constitution is being desecrated; being a vet I feel that I have the right to express myself in whatever manor needed to get my point across.
Steven WrightApril 22, 2012 - 10:03 pm
You know what, Martin? She was trying to say in the nicest way possible that you come off like a raving paranoid lunatic. You make random accusations and assumptions and nobody can tell what the heck it is you are trying to say.
MartinApril 22, 2012 - 10:32 pm
An EIR was approved by Fish and Game and they made the new regulations that were to take effect in 2016. That didn’t satisfy the plaintiff (CBD), they are taking it back to court to have the regulations overturned and the moratorium continued. The EIR was completed and agreement met with fish and game for the fore mentioned regulations. The CBD stated in there published paper the following:” Past mercury use has left a toxic legacy that can be resurrected through modern mining practices. Suction dredge mining in waterways not only directly hurts habitat for sensitive, threatened and endangered fish and frogs, but can also pollute waterways with toxic plumes of mercury leftover from the Gold Rush. The Center has worked through litigation and legislation to ban suction dredge mining in California.” These people are out kill dredging by whatever it takes. What they are saying is not true and the study that was done was a joke. Fish and game apparently agrees with the dredgers
1036-FrankApril 22, 2012 - 10:47 pm
The ones that "Don't Understand" are the same ones who sat on their couches when the loggers went extinct, now it is the gold miners, next the 4x4-ers, then the campers, hunters, fishers, and others who use public land. The order to close the OHV or dirt forest roads should concern all, yet they complain about the punctuation and spelling and composition of the the writer. Until their freedom is threatened they will continue to sit on their couches.
Steven WrightApril 22, 2012 - 10:50 pm
In which case you should have nothing to worry about. Let the process see itself through to the end. These CBD people are americans too, and they have the right to pursue all legal appeals.
TontoApril 22, 2012 - 10:50 pm
Once they gain a foot hold they will remove all the ability for anyone to visit our lands ever again and the restrictions placed will abolish all our chances to preserve the land forever. Who put them in charge of what is ours to use and enjoy, did we not learn from past actions of the ill-informed. "Ask a True Native American".
1036-FrankApril 22, 2012 - 11:20 pm
The CBD will of course reach their tipping point, It is agreed they will as history will certainly repeat. Just the same as our forefathers did with the King's taxes and his Tea on our docks. The people will reach a point and ingnore the new King's laws as sure as this country was born. And of coure the tyrant's power is invested in his armies and agents and they of course are in direct opposition of the people, and so yes history repeats and causes so long ago fought will re-emerge and be as they were and a new American Revolution will be again seen as it must be to reclaim what was then a novel idea and what now is threatened with extinction.
Richard DeshanApril 23, 2012 - 8:56 am
Frank- that blather plays well with your tea bagging chums, but thinking Americans will never take you seriously.
GeraldApril 24, 2012 - 12:45 pm
Martin, please state how many jobs are being lost due to these actions? Anytime I read about mining in this paper that is the big deal that and some type of freedom. Please let us know in actual numbers how many jobs El Dorado County has lost due to mining restrictions and what freedom is being subverted. I am asking not to be facetious but because I am interested in your points and want to know what you are talking about.
MartinApril 25, 2012 - 3:23 am
Gerald,the following information includes Eldorado County, one of the largest recreational dredging and gold mining county's in California. The Economic Impact of Suction Dredging in California (Updated 3-31-2011) by Scott Harn It Starts With the Statistical Analysis Completed by the State of California An Environmental Impact Report on suction gold dredging was completed by the State of California in 1994. As part of this process, the State sent out two survey questionnaires. The first questionnaire was sent to over 4,000 individuals. Nearly 2,000 were returned completed. The surveys covered dredge locations, annual spending activity, amount invested in dredging equipment, nozzle size and related questions. The second survey was sent to county Boards of Supervisors, Chambers of Commerce and mining businesses to determine the importance of suction gold dredging on local economies. A sample of 1,257 of the individual surveys was used by the State to complete a statistical analysis. The State of California determined, “Suction dredging is an activity that requires a substantial investment.” According to the State, each dredger spent approximately $6,250 on expenses, which included groceries, restaurants, motels, camp fees and other living expenses. In addition, they reported spending about $3,000 each on gas, oil, equipment maintenance and repairs to suction dredge equipment. The surveys also found that each permit holder spent an additional $6,000 to purchase a suction dredge and related equipment. It Includes the Number of Suction Dredge Permits According to the California Department of Fish & Game, 3,523 permits (2,966 resident and 557 non-resident) were issued in 2008. The State of California collected $126,055 in resident permit fees, and $93,158 in non-resident fees in 2008, for a total of $219,213. Adjusted for Inflation Using the CPI to adjust for inflation, suction dredge miners spent approximately $8,967 each on expenses including groceries, restaurants, camp fees and other living expenses in 2008; and $4,304 each on gas, oil, equipment maintenance and repairs to suction dredge equipment in 2008. These two expense categories combined amount to $13,271 for each permit holder. Using the CPI to adjust for inflation, each permit holder spends approximately $8,608 on a suction dredge and related equipment. Property Tax Collected The County Assessors official assessment of mining claims in 6 of the 58 counties is $170,108,821. Mining claim property taxes collected in these counties in 2008 was $1,701,088. Property tax revenue generated from mining claims was not included in the State’s statistical analysis completed in 1994, though it is a matter of fact and is included in our economic impact report. Known Economic Impacts • A total of 3,523 suction dredge permit holders spent approximately $8,967 on expenses including groceries, restaurants, camp fees and other living expenses in 2008, for a total of $31,590,741. • A total of 3,523 suction dredge permit holders spent approximately $4,304 on gas, oil, equipment maintenance and repairs in 2008, for a total of $15,162,992. • A total of 3,523 suction dredge permit holders spend approximately $8,608 on a suction dredge and related equipment every four years for a total of $7,581,496 per year. • Six out of 58 California counties collected $1,701,088 in property taxes. • The State of California collected $219,213 in dredge permit fees. • Gold is currently $1,431.80 per troy ounce. Just three troy ounces recovered per dredger adds $15.13 million to the economy. Additional Economic Impacts • Commercial retail rents for manufacturers of suction dredges, such as Keene Engineering, and suppliers and retailers of mining equipment should be added. • Payroll and property taxes for the above business sectors should be added. • Suction dredging is regularly conducted by more than just the license holder, but in this report only the permit holder’s contributions are included. • Three of the largest small-scale mining associations are located in California, with a combined membership of over 30,000 paying members and should be added. • The two largest trade magazines marketed toward small-scale mining are located in California, with a combined circulation of 65,000 and should be added. • Professional service providers; including geologists, refiners, assayers and mining lawyers should be added. • Recreational vehicles; including RV’s, 4x4’s, trailers, all-terrain vehicles and motorcycles should be added. Conclusion The 1994 Environmental Impact Report, along with additional information provided here, proves without a doubt that suction dredge miners contribute significant wealth to the economy of California. These conservative figures demonstrate the known economic impact of suction dredging at $71,385,530 million in 2008. The Additional Economic Impacts cited above obviously increases the total to well above $100 million. _______________ (This report originally was published in the September 2009 (Vol. 79, No. 1) edition of ICMJs Prospecting and Mining Journal. It was authored by Rachel Dunn of Gold Pan California, Pat Keene of Keene Engineering, and Scott Harn, Editor/Publisher, ICMJ’s Prospecting and Mining Journal, with the assistance of over 100 additional businesses and individuals who provided supporting documentation.) © ICMJ's Prospecting and Mining Journal, CMJ Inc. PO Box 2260, Aptos, CA 95001 (8
1036-FrankApril 24, 2012 - 3:59 pm
An economic study of this magnitude would be interesting, there is the number of mining claims in the county/state on various streams filed with the BLM, U.S.F.S. and property taxes paid to the counties for the claims which would equal a substantial sum. There is the direct loss of income to the miners, the mining equipment companies, the camp grounds, the stores, the fuel companies, food, vehicles and on and on. It must be a very large number. As to freedom, the right to mine your claim effectively, it is kind of like your carpet in your house, the Govt. passing a law that you shall not use your vacume anymore to remove dirt off your floor with it because it is too loud or whatever now you can use your hands or a broom and dust pan but that is it. Of course you have paid taxes on your home and thought it was property you had a right to but you found out differently that you were wrong and your taxes paid didn't really mean much to the Govt and their control. There are those of us who are warning that the Govt. attack on public and private lands is increasing and alarming. Those who dismiss this will do so at their regret. These rights to mine, fish, camp, 4x4, hunt, or use OHV dirt roads for any purpose on public and private lands are being attacked by enviro special interest groups filing lawsuit after lawsuit in the state named the Golden State founded upon the Gold Rush and mining. It is hard to believe but people are becoming aware and angered and this is the first step.