Federal Court Ruling Threatens Small-Scale Mining

Just as the summer prospecting season approaches, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that suction dredge mining may not be undertaken in endangered species habitat without prior approval of federal wildlife officials.

Judge William A. Fletcher, writing for the majority, said federal law required the Forest Service to consult wildlife agencies before approving activity that might harm an imperiled species. The required review will delay approval for mining operations in endangered species habitat in the circuit's nine states.*

Do note that Washington is one of those unfortunate nine states.

For more information on this lamentable development, please see the *Los Angeles Times article here and the MyNorthwest.com article here.