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.