:: :: any news on the ODEQ mtg

What happened guys????

The meeting is tonight Mark, Thursday the 7th. I am getting ready to leave for Medford as I write this.

my bad, I thought it was Friday. :confused:

Lots of miners in attendance. There were some great comments and questions from all attending. This meeting was very different from all the other comment meetings they have held before. Usually you get to comment, limited to three minutes and they answer no questions at all. This meeting was set up as a comment/question and answer type of a setting.

One great clarification came out of this meeting and it was an answer to a question asked by a miner who asked, "where did these points you are asking us to comment on come from?"

The answer should have been no surprise, but it did show miners where this stuff originates from. The answer was that these talking points came directly from NEDC, the environmantal group that miners have been in litigation with for the last year. They were part of a closed door "settlement agreement" between ODEQ and NEDC.

Over all the miners made a good showing in asking questions and especially commenting using good science and valid federal law. As usual, I suspect nothing will come of miners efforts, simply because our comments have never made any difference in the past. All the law and science we have presented over the years has not been even looked at or considered by ODEQ.

But, having said that, the fact still remains that we have to testify in opposition to the new stipulations they are considering for the new permit, or we will not have "standing" in any litigation we might be involved in if we have to take the agency to court.

A big part of the new points they are considering hinges on "prohibitions". They were put on notice that if they insisted on implementing prohibitive regulations, that miners would file "takings" lawsuits to protect their rights.

A big "thank you" to all who showed up and took the time and effort to prepare and present good questions and comments.

THANKS Jim for going and updating us!!!

ratled

Quote: Jim_Alaska

The answer should have been no surprise, but it did show miners where this stuff originates from. The answer was that these talking points came directly from NEDC, the environmantal group that miners have been in litigation with for the last year. They were part of a closed door "settlement agreement" between ODEQ and NEDC.

Thanks Jim. :shrug:

"As usual, I suspect nothing will come of miners efforts, simply because our comments have never made any difference in the past. All the law and science we have presented over the years has not been even looked at or considered by ODEQ."

The state of OR is wrong to ignore us miners. But they do.

Seems like maybe more of the same old tired environmentalism is on track.

My respect for Cowboy 44 and his refusal to purchase their #700 permit has been amplified and enriched. I have always opposed the ODEQ permit. WHY? Purchasing one encourages rampant illegal regulations which evolve into restrictions.

I hope anyone who has a 2013 ODEQ 700 permit will stand up to this wrong by returning the phony permit and demand a full refund. But you won't. WHY? Better safe than sorry. It's only $25. You would need the Cowboy's courage and sense of correct.

The DEQ website http://www.deq.state.or.us/wq/wqpermit/mining.htm has the audio tape from the meeting.

I did find that the list of proposed changes came directly from the settlement between Northwest enviormental Defense Center (NEDC) and DEQ. The changes were not entirely DEQ's idea although they were reluctant to state that at the meeting, therefore I suspect they agree with the changes.

I got the distinct impression that the DEQ representatives were either not prepared to answer or not informed enough to answer or not willing to answer or HONESTLY respond to many of the questions that were presented at the meeting. I do hope that they (DEQ) LISTENED TO WHAT WAS SAID by miners and ranchers and others as they (DEQ) have overstepped their bounds by what they want to do.....JMO

Was Stopher the guest speaker? What was his message?

Stopher was the invited guest speaker. He simply gave an update on the dredging situation here in California. Nothing special.