Legislation would protect communities, water and create jobs

The 1872 Mining Law gives hardrock mining (e.g. gold, copper, uranium) special priority over communities, the environment, hunting, fishing, camping and everything else.

Adding insult to injury, it also gives away publicly owned hardrock minerals for free – even to foreign corporations. More than $300 billion and counting.

Congressman Grijalva (D-AZ) and Congressman DeFazio (D-OR), along with former Congressman (now Senator) Markey (D-MA), introduced legislation earlier this year to finally reform the last American dinosaur – the 1872 Mining Law.

HR 2467, the Abandoned Mine Lands Cleanup and Taxpayer Fairness Act, would protect communities by balancing mining with other uses of public land, set standards to protect water, compensate taxpayers for their minerals and create jobs by creating a dedicated fund to clean up abandoned mines.

TAKE ACTION: Tell you Member of the House of Representatives to sign on as a co-sponsor of HR 2467 and help bring the mining industry into the 21st century!

Instructions:

• Send/amend the sample letter to the right.  Personalized letters have a much greater impact.
• Click "send your message" to send your letter.
• SHARE this alert with your friends and family via the subsequent page.  Share via email, Facebook, Twitter and/or Google+

For more information:

• Earthworks The General Mining Law of 1872
• Earthworks Bill fact sheet
• Bill text