![]() ![]() ![]() Therefore, these miners should be exempt from federal permitting rules.Ī federal district court unfortunately ignored the CWA’s plain meaning. Suction dredging stirs up water but adds nothing to it. The CWA requires permits for activities that add new substances to federally regulated waters. Although Shannon was properly permitted by the state, and neither Idaho nor the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) brought any action against him, the Idaho Conservation League claimed he added pollutants to federally regulated “waters of the United States” without a Clean Water Act (CWA) permit. Idaho appears to be the next target.Īn environmental group filed a citizen suit against Shannon in 2018 for mining in the South Fork Clearwater River. has come under attack by environmentalists who successfully pressured Oregon and California to severely restrict suction dredging. ![]() Nevertheless, suction dredge mining throughout the western U.S. He has since become the founder and president of the American Mining Rights Association, a mining education nonprofit for small-time miners who mine on state and federal lands. Shannon began mining in 2007, and using best practices, ensures a minimal environmental impact. Plus, the process employs far more environmentally sensitive techniques today than the miners’ Forty Niner predecessors. This type of mining removes mercury and other harmful metals discharged during prior industrial activity, leaving water cleaner than before. For many, it continues the cultural tradition of mineral exploration dating back to California’s Gold Rush and the original Forty Niners, and sustains the Forty Niner spirit that is a unique part of the American West heritage. It’s not only allowed, but encouraged under the federal Mining Act of 1872. The attraction to suction dredge mining isn’t just economic. Like many longtime mining enthusiasts in Idaho, Shannon Poe earns a living with his suction dredge-an engine-powered hose that extracts minerals and metals from streambeds while returning everything else. ![]()
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