WDFW Seeks To Criminalize Prospecting And Mining On Its Lands

In a series of moves that reek of "government by stealth," a WDFW news release of November 24, 2010 titled, "Commission to consider restricting the use of lead fishing tackle on lakes with loons," contains the buried morsel that the commission is also scheduled to hold public hearings on "Amendments to rules governing the removal of minerals, wood and artifacts from WDFW lands." (Emphasis added.)

According to the WDFW Rules Notification Center, the original notification of this proposed rule change (CR-101) was filed on January 6, 2010 and only mentions "large, old snags ... being cut down for firewood" as the reason for the proposed modifications. The subsequent "Notice and opportunity to comment on this current rule-making proposal" (CR-102) was filed on October 20, 2010 and contained the following language:

Purpose of the proposal and its anticipated effects, including any changes in existing rules: The department currently lacks the ability to prohibit people from cutting down snags and taking mushrooms and berries on land it owns or controls.

Reasons supporting proposal: Snags provide habitat for many species. This proposal will protect that habitat from destruction. The proposal will also minimize the amount of downed dead wood that people can collect and use on the department’s lands, and it will limit the amount of mushrooms that can be taken, to conserve these resources.

It's only when you get to the very end of the document that you find the new language that is of concern to miners:

Unlawful cutting down or removal of dead standing timber, live trees, wood, soil, petrified wood, minerals, fossils, or plants constitutes theft under chapter 9A.56 RCW. (Emphasis added.)

Of particular concern is that this proposal has gone so far towards implementation without the knowledge or involvement of the small-scale mineral prospecting and mining community.

Although the period for written comment (confusingly) ends on December 5, 2010 (Written comment may be e-mailed to lori.preuss@dfw.wa.gov ), the Green Sheet for this action item notes that the Fish and Wildlife Commission will "Receive the staff presentation and any comments from the public." According to the agenda for the December meeting of the Fish and Wildlife Commission, this presentation and comment session will take place at 8:30 AM on Saturday, December 4 in NRB Room 172.

Given the shortness of time remaining to respond to this issue, comments should be sent to the email address in the paragraph above, and/or directed to the Fish and Wildlife Commission at:

Mailing Address:
600 Capitol Way N.
Olympia, WA 98501-1091

Phone: 360-902-2267

Fax: 360-902-2448

commission@dfw.wa.gov

and/or delivered in person at the meeting on December 4 at:

Natural Resources Building
First Floor, Room 175 & 172
1111 Washington St. SE
Olympia, Washington 98501

Parks And Recreation Commission OKs Small Scale Beach Mining

As reported previously on this blog (here, here, here, here and here), on March 20, 2008 SSB 6343 was signed into law requiring the State Parks and Recreation Commission and the Department of Fish and Wildlife to establish a pilot program to allow small scale prospecting and mining on Washington's ocean beaches beginning July 1, 2008.

According to a document released by the Parks and Recreation Commission describing their meeting of November 19, 2010, based on the results of the pilot program, "Parks staff is open to continuing to allow the activity (beach mining)." But before you grab your gear and head for the beaches, remember that SSB 6343 only set up a short-term exemption to the prohibition in RCW 79A.05.165 that makes beach mining unlawful and that the exemption expires on December 1, 2010.

At this point, miners need to wait for the rule making process to be completed which, according to informed sources, could occur by April 29, 2011.

Those who wish to read the November 19 meeting notes of the Parks and Recreation Commission will find the document at the following link:

http://www.parks.wa.gov/agency/commissionmeetings/2010-11-19%20detailed%20Commission%20agenda%20items.doc

The section concerning beach mining is titled "Item E-16: Findings on Small Scale Mineral Prospecting Pilot Program -- Report" and starts on the bottom half of page 32 of the 34 page document.

The Washington State Miner will continue to report on this story as it develops.

Note: The November 19 meeting document linked above is a MS-Word document which can be opened with Microsoft Office, Microsoft Office Word Viewer (available free from Microsoft at https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=3657ce88-7cfa-457a-9aec-f4f827f20cac&displaylang=en&pf=true), or with Open Office (available free at http://www.openoffice.org/). For those who do not have any of these applications but who have a .pdf reader such as Adobe Reader, I have created a .pdf version of the meeting document which is available at the link here: http://www.box.net/shared/37pnq4mjkt.

WDGER Introduces Enhanced Online Mapping Application

The Washington Division of Geology and Earth Resources has introduced a new version of its interactive geoscience mapping application. The enhanced application allows one to create custom maps displaying various data and then capture the image as a .jpg file or download it as a printable .pdf file.

In addition to the previously available Washington Interactive Geologic Map and Earth Resource Permit Locations map, four new map themes are offered: Subsurface Geology Information System, Geothermal Resources of Washington, Tsunami Evacuation Map, and Washington State Coal Mine Map Collection.

This new public resource is accessible at the link to the Washington State Geologic Information Portal under "Resources for Prospectors" in the right-hand sidebar or at the link below:

http://www.dnr.wa.gov/ResearchScience/Topics/GeosciencesData/Pages/geology_portal.aspx

The application appears well designed and the functions are largely self-explanatory although a detailed help page is available by clicking on the "?" in the blue circle in the top right-hand corner of the map screen and then on the "Help" link at the bottom of the pop-up box that opens.

You might enjoy playing around with it as a form of "arm chair" prospecting while house-bound during these winter months.

New Geology Map And Data Supplement Released

The Washington Division of Geology and Earth Resources has reported the availability of a new geologic map with accompanying data supplement.

From the WDGER announcement:

Geologic Map GM-76. Geologic map of the Cliffdell and western two-thirds of the Manastash Lake 7.5-minute quadrangles, Yakima and Kittitas Counties, Washington, by P. E. Hammond. 2010. 36 x 48 in. color sheet, scale 1:24,000, with 11 p. text. (Plotted; $23.48, including shipping and handling. Sold through the Washington Department of Printing. Also available online at http://www.dnr.wa.gov/Publications/ger_gm76_cliffdell_manastash_lake_24k.zip [23 MB].)

Open File Report 2010-6. Supplement to GM-76, Geologic map of the Cliffdell and western two-thirds of the Manastash Lake 7.5-minute quadrangles, Yakima and Kittitas Counties, Washington, by P. E. Hammond. 2010. 1 Microsoft Excel file. (Available online only, at http://www.dnr.wa.gov/Publications/ger_ofr2010-6_cliffdell_manastash_lake_supplement.xls [7.2 MB].)

WDGER Announces New Indexes Of Geologic Maps

Having received notice from the Washington Division of Geology and Earth Resources that two new indexes to geologic maps of Washington are available, I have decided to reproduce the communication below including all links:

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The Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geology and Earth Resources (DGER), is pleased to present two indexes of geologic quadrangle, quadrant, and whole-state maps of Washington.

Index to geologic mapping of 7.5-minute quadrangles of Washington: http://www.dnr.wa.gov/Publications/ger_24k_mapping_status.pdf

Index to geologic mapping of 30x60-minute quadrangles, state quadrants, and the state of Washington in its entirety: http://www.dnr.wa.gov/Publications/ger_geologic_maps_wa.pdf

Each index lists known geologic mapping from all sources (not just DGER), and allows you to find maps in three different ways: a graphical index on a map of Washington, a list of maps by sorted by quadrangle name, and a list of maps by author (citation).

Please note that these indexes do not cover all geologic mapping done in Washington – only mapping of quadrangles, quadrants, and the whole state of Washington. Other sources of geologic mapping can be discovered in a variety of ways:

Index to Geologic and Geophysical Mapping of Washington (last updated 2003): http://www.dnr.wa.gov/ResearchScience/Topics/GeologicHazardsMapping/Pages/mapindex.aspx
Includes all known published, open-filed, and thesis mapping in Washington, at scales from 1:480 to 1:580,000. All of the maps listed in this index are held at the Washington Geology Library.

Bibliography of the Geology and Mineral Resources of Washington State: http://www.dnr.wa.gov/ResearchScience/Topics/GeologyPublicationsLibrary/Pages/washbib.aspx
An online searchable database of the holdings of the Washington Geology Library, the most comprehensive collection of material on Washington geology in the world.

The DGER publications list: http://www.dnr.wa.gov/Publications/ger_publications_list.pdf
Lists all publications of the Washington Division of Geology and Earth Resources (and predecessors). All DGER publications are now available online – look for the blue link(s) at the end of each publication listing.

WDFW Enforcement Wants To Know: Are You A Satisfied Customer?

Inasmuch as some readers of this blog may have, on occasion while in the field or elsewhere, had contact with WDFW enforcement personnel and may have formed some opinions about said contact, I'm providing links below to WDFW's newly announced "WDFW Enforcement Customer Satisfaction Survey."

The survey form contains about 22 questions and, in addition to the customary multiple-choice responses, has a few boxes for additional comments and, at the end of the form, an email address for "recommendations and suggestions for improvement." WDFW will accept survey responses through the end of this year.

News release link: http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/release.php?id=nov0110a

Direct link to survey: http://wdfw.wa.gov/enforcement/surveys/customer_survey.html

Have at it!