Oregon Miner Arrested For Cutting A Tree On His Claim

Following up on my post here, Oregon placer miner David "Miner Dave" Everist was arrested by the USFS late yesterday, according to a mining community source.

The reason stated for his arrest is cutting a tree on his claim while prospecting.  According to the source, Everist was released from jail this morning.  There is also mention of a "Constructive Fraud Suit" against the USFS over the arrest.

More information as this situation develops.

USFS No Show: Oregon Miner Not Arrested

As reported here on Saturday, USFS officials had threatened to arrest Southwest Oregon miner David Everist if they found him still on his placer claim yesterday, Sunday, February 19.  According to a follow-up report (3rd post down by "GoldPatriot" @ 6:20 pm Monday Feb. 20) on the American Mining Law Forum, while they were in the area, USFS personnel failed to show up at Everist's claim to confront him and the "30 to 35" others who were there in response to Everist's request for witnesses to come and document any events.

Please read the post at the link above for the full story (and some promised video to be posted "later").

Ocean Beach Mining Rules Subject Of Public Meeting

As reported here, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) held a public meeting in Montesano, Washington on February 16 to present information on the recently enacted ocean beach mining rules and to hear comments from the public concerning those rules.

According to a source present at the meeting, over one hundred members of the small-scale mining community were present along with about four anti-mining types.  Also present were the head of State Parks (who sided with the miners) and Pat Chapman.

The results of the meeting were that there will be no fee for the beach mining HPA and that work is underway to incorporate the beach mining rules into the Gold and Fish pamphlet.  Until then, however, the separate HPA is still required.  At the moment, that HPA is taking about 45 days to get.

Oregon Gold Miner Faces Possible Arrest On Sunday

I've mentioned the Southwest Oregon Mining Association (SWOMA) before in connection with the subject of mining districts.  I have just learned from the SWOMA website that an Oregon gold miner, David Everist, has been involved in a legal battle with the USFS since 2009 regarding his occupancy of his placer mining claim.  (You may read the full story here:  USFS Terror.)

According to a Global Announcement In Support Of Miner Dave at the American Mining Law Forum, Everist is facing a possible confrontation with USFS personnel this Sunday, February 19. According to the SWOMA article, on February 9 District Ranger Donna Mickley sent FS employees to Everist's clain who served him with a "cease and desist" order and informed him that if he did not leave his claim by February 19 that he would be arrested and that his possessions on the claim would be either sold or destroyed.  Everist has requested that miners and non-miners alike come to his claim with video cameras on the 19th to document any confrontation.

In response to Everist's request, the American Mining Law Forum announcement reports that the Jefferson Mining District is organizing the gathering at the claim.  (See the "Global Announcement" linked above for details.)  Jefferson Mining District Chairman Kerby Jackson is expecting Josephine County Sheriff Gilbertson, among others, to be present also.

Although this event is taking place in Oregon, the USFS also operates in Washington and what they do "down south" they may decide to do "up north" as well.

More on this story as it develops.

Mineral Exploration Draws Environmentalist Attack

An article by Nansen Malin in the NW Daily Marker reports on the efforts of a Portland-based advocacy group called the Gifford Pinchot Task Force to halt mineral exploration on Mount Margaret in Washington's Saint Helens Mining District in Skamania County.

It appears at this point that the exploration activities underway are aimed at determining if there is sufficient economic potential in the deposit to warrant the development of a mine plan.  Needless to say, if the "advocacy" group has its way, any potential for economic benefit from a potential mine will go the way of the potential mine...nowhere.

It is not my intention to regurgitate the NW Daily Marker piece here.  I would prefer that you read it for yourself at this link.

But I will mention that there are two public meetings scheduled at which citizens will have the opportunity to express their feelings and opinions regarding letting the explorations go forward.  Details on the meetings are given in the NW Daily Marker account as follows:

LONGVIEW SCOPING MEETING
Wednesday, Feb. 15, 6:30-8 p.m.
Cowlitz Regional Conference Center (Loowit Room)
1900 seventh Avenue, Longview, WA

MORTON SCOPING MEETING
Thursday, Feb. 16, 6:30-8 p.m.
Lyle Community Center
700 W. Main Street, Morton, WA

If you wish to be heard on this issue, you now know the 'where' and the 'when' to make that happen.

Forest Service Seeks Applicants For Advisory Committee

The U.S. Forest Service is seeking applicants to serve on a committee to assist in the implementation of the new Land Management Planning Rule for use of the national forests.   According to the web page announcing the creation of this committee, its members "will provide advice and recommendations on issues such as planning rule directives for implementation, best practices, effective monitoring practices and ongoing collaboration efforts."

The announcement further states:

The committee will be comprised of up to 21 members with diverse backgrounds, who represent the full range of public interests in management of the National Forest System lands and who represent geographically diverse locations and communities, within each of the following three categories of interests:

Significant for the small-scale mining community is the inclusion in category 3 of "energy and mineral development."  (Emphasis added.)

The small-scale mining and prospecting community could benefit from having a member on this committee not only from that member's efforts on behalf of miners but also from information provided by that member to the community as to what plans are under consideration that could impact mining activities in the national forests.  A sort of early-warning system, if you will, that could give the rest of us the opportunity to mobilize in support of our rights on forest service administered lands.

Persons interested in applying for the committee should take note of the following information, also from the announcement web page linked above:


Nominations must contain a completed application packet that includes the nominee’s name, resume, and completed form AD–755 (Advisory Committee Membership Background Information). The form AD–755 may be obtained here (pdf version), or here (Microsoft Word version), or from the Forest Service contact person.
The 45-day nomination period closes Feb. 21, 2012.
Completed applications sent through express mail should be sent to:
Jessica Call*
USDA Forest Service
National Forest System
Mail Stop 1106
201 14th Street SW.
Washington, DC 20024
Completed applications sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be
sent to:
Jessica Call*
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
National Forest System
Mail Stop 1106
1400 Independence Avenue SW.
Washington, DC 20250–1106
 
*Note that the Federal Register notice said that applications should be addressed to Angela Gee.  Any applications addressed to Ms. Gee will be received with no problems, but since Ms. Gee is no longer working on the Planning Rule FACA Committee, the current contact is Jessica Call.  Applications addressed to Ms. Gee will automatically be forwarded to Ms. Call, so either contact name works.

 Other facts to note are:

The 45-day nomination period closes Feb. 21, 2012. Additional details on the committee are available in the Federal Register, or by calling 202-205-0830.

 See the web page linked at the beginning of this post for more information.

Ocean Beach Mining To Be Subject Of Public Meeting

Note:  Due to a computer crash I have been unable to post to this blog for several weeks.  Things are slowly getting straightened out so I hope to be able to update more regularly now.  My apologies for the lengthy absence.

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The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission together with Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will hold an open meeting on February 16 at 6:30 P.M. at the Montesano City Hall, 112 N Main Street, Montesano, Washington.

The purposes of the meeting, as set forth in the official announcement, are to "provide information about small-scale beach prospecting rules that were enacted last year to regulate the activity on Washington’s ocean beaches, and to hear public opinions and preferences about those rules."

Questions about this meeting should be directed to " Lisa Lantz, State Parks Acting Stewardship Program Manager, at 360-725-9777."

Previous posts on ocean beach mining in Washington can be found here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

A Google Maps map showing the location of the Montesano City Hall is available at the link here.