To: E. Charters who wrote (28714 ) 11/30/1997 11:34:00 AM From: GOLDIGER Respond to of 35569
Hi E, Do you think they will let IPM live on their property or not ..LOL. Public Comment Sought On Environmental Assessment For Use And Occupancy Of Mining Claims On BLM Lands The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced today the release of an Environmental Assessment (EA) which analyzes the impacts of approving full or part-time residence on mining claims and millsites located on BLM public lands in Arizona. Under the 1872 Mining Law, miners may live on their mining claims if they are engaged in legitimate activities which lead to the extraction of minerals. The Environmental Assessment will assist the BLM in carrying out regulations governing the occupancy of BLM public lands under the Mining Law. "The BLM's mining regulations have adopted a very broad definition of occupancy, which includes the storage of equipment and supplies, and even the use of a tent for periods longer than 14 days when working on mining claims," explains BLM State Director Denise Meridith. "Whenever someone wants to occupy their mining claims for more than 14 days in a three-month period, they are considered to be residents on the land and are subject to those regulations." Before BLM can concur with the occupancy of mining claims, environmental documentation must be prepared. To reduce delays in the regulatory process, this Environmental Assessment proposes to the public a set of performance standards, which if met, can dramatically shorten the environmental impact analysis process. Mineral output in Arizona in 1995, the latest year for which complete statistics are available, was valued at $4.48 billion, with more than 18,000 people directly employed by the mining industry. Large copper mines employ most of these workers, however a sizeable population makes a living by small-scale mining on public lands. These mines play a large role in providing employment in many rural areas in the state. There are about 34,000 mining claims in Arizona. GOLDIGER.