American hunters and anglers were some of our nation’s first conservationists. Led by Theodore Roosevelt, sportsmen called for laws regulating sustainable fish and wildlife populations and set the stage for foundation of the North American wildlife conservation model, an enduring legacy. On Saturday, Sept. 22, sportsmen will celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day, honoring the history that unites us and planning for the future of the activities we love.
National Hunting and Fishing Day is an appropriate occasion for considering a legacy of a different kind - an unfortunate legacy that continues to negatively impact American hunting and fishing and that calls the future of our sport into question. More than a century of hard rock mining on America’s public lands has left its mark on fish and wildlife populations. The TRCP is working to correct the problem, and we urge sportsmen to join in an effort to reform the 1872 Mining Law.
Currently, a movement is afoot in Congress that has great potential for real change. House Natural Resources Chair Nick J. Rahall has introduced a bipartisan solution to the mining problem: HR 2262, the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007. Sportsmen must get involved now to protect the future of hunting and angling. Sportsmen United for Sensible Mining represents millions of hunters and anglers, fish and wildlife professionals and citizens who enjoy our public lands.
Take action to ensure that sportsmen’s interests - and the interests of America’s fish, wildlife and public lands - continue to be represented in HR 2262. Contact your members of Congress and ask them to support the campaign’s four tenets for sensible mining reform.
Sign up for the Sportsmen United for Sensible Mining Campaign.
Tell a friend about Sportsmen United for Sensible Mining.
Send a letter to the following decision maker(s):
House Natural Resources Committee
Below is the sample letter:
Subject: Support HR 2262 and Uphold Sportsmen’s Interests in Mining Law Reform
Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],
As a constituent who loves to hunt, fish and enjoy the outdoors, I strongly urge you to support sensible hard rock mining reform that will make it possible to continue these pastimes.
For many years, Congress has considered reform of the General Mining Law of 1872. While America’s economies, cultures and politics have changed during the past 135 years, its mining law has not. More than 270 million acres of federal land are open to hard rock mining under the law, mostly in the Rocky Mountain West. Because the law has not been meaningfully reformed, many of America’s most treasured public lands are at risk.
As you consider legislative reform of the 1872 Mining Law, I urge you to consider the following recommendations:
- Assess a royalty from any minerals taken from public lands to fund fish and wildlife conservation programs and abandoned mine reclamation.
- Strengthen protections against mining impacts for fish, wildlife and water resources.
- Allow “Good Samaritan” reclamation incentives and common-sense liability relief.
- Prohibit patenting or sale of public lands.
Moreover, I ask that you work to uphold environmental standards currently in the bill, including provisions that prevent new claim-staking in roadless areas and on special places and that place time limits on mine permits other than “life of mine.” Doing so will help conserve millions of acres of American lands and fish and wildlife habitat and will uphold the sportsmen’s opportunities and local economies that depend on them.
Thank you for considering my recommendations.
Sincerely,
[your name]
Time is running out to make your voice heard.