Just got this email from the C. Water Resources Board !!

[Wiggler]

I just got this notice from The Ca. Water Resources Board . Im not holding my breath …..but …..

This is a message from the State Water Resources Control Board.
Interested parties,

Attached is a Public Notice regarding State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) staff release of a proposed statewide Suction Dredge Mining General Permit for a 45-day public comment period, a May 28, 2020 staff-level stakeholder workshop, and a June 17, 2020 State Water Board public hearing to receive oral comments on the draft permit. Please refer to the State Water Board’s Suction Dredge Mining Permit website using the following link to view the draft Permit and detailed meeting participation information for the upcoming stakeholder workshop and public hearing:
https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_is ... ining.html

Please contact Renan Jauregui at [email protected] if you have any questions.

 

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[russau]

Well they are required by law to inform the public about this for public opinion BUT since the Covid - 19 virus hit I'd be suprised if anyone other than the wacoenviromentalist's would get any info on how to be truely allowed to get a comment to be heard ! BUT if you can write a comment or get in on a video comment BE SURE to include a point of law to ensure your comment would be garrentted to get heard and be included in any law suit to came about this topic ! And like you , I'm NOT holding my breath !

 

[Koalajones]

https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/npdes/suction_dredge_mining.html

maybe that link will work cause we definitely need to be heard or else everyone loses out

 

[Wiggler]

Here is a link that might help ….. the state web site is pretty jacked up …. COVID ? People who do not know what they are doing ? I don't know . I wish I knew more about what I could do to help legalize dredging again …. to safely extract gold for the USA ! I hope that a lot of legal minds read this so we can at least try to re-gain our freedoms ! I am there , I will show up and help in any way I can . This might be our moment !!

PLEASE SPREAD this news to ANY AND ALL people who can properly represent all of us . I will do all that I can to re-establish this American right . PM me ….I will give you my contact info . I have spare time to do footwork . I will be there . Lets at least try !
Brett

https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/npdes/docs/draft_suctiondredgemining_permit.pdf

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

I can’t stress enough the importance of submitting written comments that reference the proposed action in the subject line.

Verbal comments will be “taken under consideration”..written comments will become part of the record.


Chain mail with suggested comments (by people from all over the country) seems to be what works for the other side.

 

[russau]

All chain mail letters are ONLY COUNT as 1 in their entirety !!! ONLY written /typed comments with a point of law are kept for the record ALL ELSE goes into the "T" file ! It's that important to make your comment count ! you can bet the wacoenviromentalists know this and they make sure their vote counts !!

 

[dredgernaut]

when I read the fee schedule I think I understood it.. is it a 2 thousand dollar permit?? sorry for dumb question. I read dirt better than words . lol

 

[brianc053]

It does seem like either the minimum annual fee is $1,949 (under the "dredging" section) or the application fee would be $1,949 and the annual fee would be $260 (if recreational/small scale gold dredging could be considered a "Low Impact Discharges" form of dredging).
I got excited and started already thinking about a road trip from New Jersey to California when I first read that they were considering ordering a permit.
Now, looking at those fees, I'm not so sure.

I wonder if a club could apply for one permit and have multiple people dredging under that single permit? They seem to be focused on limiting "annual dredge volume in cubic yards", which would imply that as long as the club's total dredge volume was under the limit it might be OK.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

All chain mail letters are ONLY COUNT as 1 in their entirety !!! ONLY written /typed comments with a point of law are kept for the record ALL ELSE goes into the "T" file ! It's that important to make your comment count ! you can bet the wacoenviromentalists know this and they make sure their vote counts !!

I mean chain mail sending out requests for comments...with suggested appropriate types of comments given.
Something explaining what you just did.

 

[russau]

Well just look at what was done in Colorado on the Arkansas River gpaa club claims for the answer! While other dredgers along the same River can go ahead and dredge with keeping their group numbers down to a min....... Do you think it'll be any different ?? I don't !

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Wonder what this means.....?

Prohibited Discharges: (bottom of page 10)

4.5 Discharges into watersheds (per the HUC 10 watershed classification) with one or more water bodies located in areas of historic gold mining.

4.7 Discharges into watersheds (per the HUC 10 watershed classification) subject to the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board Basin Plan point source prohibition.

 

[Reed Lukens]

This pretty much says it all... In other words, nothing much will be changing in the right direction.
From AMRA

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

This part is REALLY good.
Got to get permission from the tribes before you can start dredging.

To ensure protection of the designated beneficial uses of Native American Culture (CUL), and Tribal and Subsistence Fishing (T-SUB or SUB), prior to initiating discharges related to suction dredge mining activities at specific locations per the issued Notice of Applicability, the Discharger, must provide annually (calendar year from January through December) a 30-day minimum advance notification by email to the corresponding tribal representatives and copy the State Water Board at the email: “[email protected]”. (A list of tribal representatives and their email addresses is provided on the State Water Board website and in the Notice of Applicability.) The notification shall include proposed mining locations for that calendar year including the names of the water body(ies), and their corresponding planned mining dates.
The Discharger may begin suction dredge mining after receiving a written response from the appropriate Tribal representatives confirming that the scheduled suction dredge mining activities at the specified locations and dates will not interfere with the tribal beneficial uses.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Just wasted some time I’ll never get back...they should have just used this graphic as a cover page to the permit. I wonder if there are even any gold deposits in the areas that are not shaded? If your looking to the government for a solution, you will not get one.

This picture actually says it all (page 54)

 

[Wiggler]

This part is REALLY good.
Got to get permission from the tribes before you can start dredging.

To ensure protection of the designated beneficial uses of Native American Culture (CUL), and Tribal and Subsistence Fishing (T-SUB or SUB), prior to initiating discharges related to suction dredge mining activities at specific locations per the issued Notice of Applicability, the Discharger, must provide annually (calendar year from January through December) a 30-day minimum advance notification by email to the corresponding tribal representatives and copy the State Water Board at the email: “[email protected]”. (A list of tribal representatives and their email addresses is provided on the State Water Board website and in the Notice of Applicability.) The notification shall include proposed mining locations for that calendar year including the names of the water body(ies), and their corresponding planned mining dates.
The Discharger may begin suction dredge mining after receiving a written response from the appropriate Tribal representatives confirming that the scheduled suction dredge mining activities at the specified locations and dates will not interfere with the tribal beneficial uses.

I had not picked up on that piece of info. Around here , trying to get a native American to do something that benefits a Non- Native American is like trying to squeeze blood out of a Turnip. Most of them don't care for us pale faces. I have heard the term "blue eyed devils" used on more than one occasion. Anyhow , I am not trying to change the direction of this discussion by saying those things . I don't see color, just people.

So that piece of law seems a little vague ( no surprise) . I wonder just where these "specific locations" are ? Entire watersheds ?? Only Tribal lands ?

 

[ratled]

Keep in mind that the US Solicitor General stated in his recommendation that the State of CA will soon issuing dredge and water permits so in part the Reinhardt cause would be moot and that SCOTUS should not hear the case.

Here we are in 2020 and CA hasn't lifted a finger to even invent the process, let alone issue permits. With another case before the court, and one they are taking some interest in, they thought they need to do "something". They have had this in the drawer for the longest time and needed to finally send it out

 

[Wiggler]

It does seem like either the minimum annual fee is $1,949 (under the "dredging" section) or the application fee would be $1,949 and the annual fee would be $260 (if recreational/small scale gold dredging could be considered a "Low Impact Discharges" form of dredging).
I got excited and started already thinking about a road trip from New Jersey to California when I first read that they were considering ordering a permit.
Now, looking at those fees, I'm not so sure.

I wonder if a club could apply for one permit and have multiple people dredging under that single permit? They seem to be focused on limiting "annual dredge volume in cubic yards", which would imply that as long as the club's total dredge volume was under the limit it might be OK.

I am basically a recreational prospector . These fees , if they are correct for a small time rec. guy like me , are not very practical. I guess its just another way of keeping our dredges out of streams and rivers . That statement is music to the ears of enviros and no doubt many of the state of Kalifornia employees. Just make it too expensive and they will not dredge ....... If I remember correctly , the last time I purchased a dredge permit (way back when) it was like $120 ??

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Take a look at the map I posted..the areas that would be open to dredging are areas not shaded...
Being that areas with historical mining are excluded..my bet is regardless of the price, no place will be open that you would ever care to spend time dredging much less spend $ on equipment and fees and expose yourself to liability of the Tribes snapping photos while you dredge.

Bet your money they will follow up on every notification and "monitor" what your doing. Since they will know when and where you will be working it will be easy. Especially in the Salmon/Klamath rivers where this all started.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

The only good aspect of this Covid-19 disaster is the casino that was to fund these lawsuits is shut down.
I can only pray that my tax dollars are not being spent on bailing out the casino.

Farmers watering their fields...the ranchers feeding their cattle..the loggers cutting logs...the truck drivers..the fuel companies..the parts houses...the tire shop...the mill workers...the fishermen..they all are probably grateful along with the miners that the casino is closed.

Not many people fully appreciate the impact these lawsuits have had.

 

[et1955]

I am basically a recreational prospector . These fees , if they are correct for a small time rec. guy like me , are not very practical. I guess its just another way of keeping our dredges out of streams and rivers . That statement is music to the ears of enviros and no doubt many of the state of Kalifornia employees. Just make it too expensive and they will not dredge ....... If I remember correctly , the last time I purchased a dredge permit (way back when) it was like $120 ??

Never call yourself a recreational prospector, you have no rights when confronted by the authorities, as a miner you have. So when confronted state you are miner.