Post by 1dave on Dec 14, 2013 20:29:24 GMT -5
"Part of President Obama’s new plan to bypass Congress on carbon dioxide regulation."
www.mineweb.com/mineweb/content/en/mineweb-political-economy?oid=197322&sn=Detail
After withdrawing more than 1 million acres from mining exploration near the Grand Canyon, the BLM has withdrawn an additional 303,900 acres in six states to foster solar energy development.
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Energy, mining generate majority of jobs on U.S. public lands--BLM
Author: Dorothy Kosich
Posted: Wednesday , 10 Jul 2013
RENO (Mineweb) -
On Friday, July 5th, during the Independence Day holiday weekend, the Obama Administration announced it had decided to withdraw 303,900 acres containing mining claims in six western states to create solar energy zones.
Public Land Order No. 7818, published in Friday’s Federal Register by the Bureau of Land Management, was touted as part of President Obama’s new plan to bypass Congress on carbon dioxide regulation.
“This order withdraws 303,900 acres of public lands from location and entry under the United States mining laws, subject to valid existing rights, for a period of 20 years to protect 17 Solar Energy Zones (SEZ) for future solar energy development,” said the notice in the Federal Register. “The lands have been and will remain open to mineral and geothermal leasing and mineral material sales.”
In a news release published July 5th, the BLM said the lands had already been segregated from mining laws under temporary measures. The Public Land Order extends the withdrawal for 20 years.
“The Public Land Order protects the integrity of the Solar Energy Zones and helps us meet President Obama’s goal of green-lighting enough private renewable energy capacity on public lands to power more than 6 million homes by 2020,” said BLM Principal Deputy Director Neil Kornze.
WITHDRAWAL AREAS
Subject to valid existing rights, public lands have been withdrawn in Brenda in La Paz County and Gillespie in Maricopa County, both in west-central Arizona. The BLM claims there are no documented occurrences of locatable mineral deposits within the Brenda or Gillespie SEZs although there are locatable precious metals and base metals in both regions.
Lands have been withdrawn in southern California for the Imperial East SEZ in Imperial County and Riverside East in Riverside County. The BLM again asserts that no locatable minerals are found in the Imperial SEZ.
However, the Riverside East SEZ contains known mineral deposits of iron ore, gold and silver, uranium and thorium, and copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, gypsum, silica and wollastonite.
The BLM has designed four SEZs in San Luis Valley Colorado: Antonito Southeast in Conejos County, De Tilla Gulch in Saguache County, Fourmile East in Alamosa County and Los Mogotes East in Conejos County. The BLM claims all four SEZs contain no locatable mineral deposits.
Five SEZs have been designed in southern Nevada including Amargosa Valley, Dry Lake, Dry Lake Valley North, Gold Point and Millers. The BLM asserts that no locatable mineral deposits are found on any of the SEZs.
However, Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nevada, accused the Obama Administration of specifically singling out new mining claims, emphasizing the administration’s preference for solar development. “The federal government should not be in the business of picking winners and losers, especially with its track record for doing so is abysmal. You would think that billions of taxpayer dollars lost, expensive energy and few jobs to show for it would be enough to dissuade them from a solar policy that has been an unmitigated failure.”
“I apologize to all westerners for the fact that, although it takes years to get a federal land use permit—and our region is under serious federal administrative scrutiny for a myriad of resource issues—this administration has no hesitation to pick land use winners without anything resembling public participation, or adherence to the present permitting process,” A modei declared. “Industries in the West like agriculture, other energy technologies, recreation and mining are certainly shaking their heads at this new level of arrogance and transparency that resembles lead.”
“The administration is interfering with the market at the worst possible time and it is interfering with the livelihood of western states without so much as giving the people who live and work there a heads up,” he observed.
In New Mexico, the BLM designated a single SEZ in south-central New Mexico, Afton in Dona Ana County. Although Afton lies within the Aden industrial mining district, the BLM claims that no located mineral deposits are within the site.
In southwestern Utah, three SEZs of about 6,000 acres each have been designated: Escalante Valley in Iron County, Milford Flats South and Wah Wah Valley, both in Beaver County. The BLM asserts that no locatable mineral deposits can be found in any of the three SEZs. Power companies serving those counties told reporters they support the BLM’s designations.
Topics: Mining, solar power, solar energy, BLM, Obama Administration, renewable energy, Solar Energy Zones, public lands withdrawals, mining on public lands, mining exploration on public lands, Department of Interior, Utah mining, Colorado mining, Nevada mining, California mining, New Mexico Mining, Arizona mining
www.mineweb.com/mineweb/content/en/mineweb-political-economy?oid=197322&sn=Detail
After withdrawing more than 1 million acres from mining exploration near the Grand Canyon, the BLM has withdrawn an additional 303,900 acres in six states to foster solar energy development.
Follow @mineweb
Related Stories
NWMA study challenges BLM sage grouse management report validity
U.S. Interior Secretary orders OSM/BLM consolidation to proceed
Stakeholders slam Salazar's OSM/BLM merger proposal
U.S. Senate Resources Committee to review OSM/BLM consolidation
Energy, mining generate majority of jobs on U.S. public lands--BLM
Author: Dorothy Kosich
Posted: Wednesday , 10 Jul 2013
RENO (Mineweb) -
On Friday, July 5th, during the Independence Day holiday weekend, the Obama Administration announced it had decided to withdraw 303,900 acres containing mining claims in six western states to create solar energy zones.
Public Land Order No. 7818, published in Friday’s Federal Register by the Bureau of Land Management, was touted as part of President Obama’s new plan to bypass Congress on carbon dioxide regulation.
“This order withdraws 303,900 acres of public lands from location and entry under the United States mining laws, subject to valid existing rights, for a period of 20 years to protect 17 Solar Energy Zones (SEZ) for future solar energy development,” said the notice in the Federal Register. “The lands have been and will remain open to mineral and geothermal leasing and mineral material sales.”
In a news release published July 5th, the BLM said the lands had already been segregated from mining laws under temporary measures. The Public Land Order extends the withdrawal for 20 years.
“The Public Land Order protects the integrity of the Solar Energy Zones and helps us meet President Obama’s goal of green-lighting enough private renewable energy capacity on public lands to power more than 6 million homes by 2020,” said BLM Principal Deputy Director Neil Kornze.
WITHDRAWAL AREAS
Subject to valid existing rights, public lands have been withdrawn in Brenda in La Paz County and Gillespie in Maricopa County, both in west-central Arizona. The BLM claims there are no documented occurrences of locatable mineral deposits within the Brenda or Gillespie SEZs although there are locatable precious metals and base metals in both regions.
Lands have been withdrawn in southern California for the Imperial East SEZ in Imperial County and Riverside East in Riverside County. The BLM again asserts that no locatable minerals are found in the Imperial SEZ.
However, the Riverside East SEZ contains known mineral deposits of iron ore, gold and silver, uranium and thorium, and copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, gypsum, silica and wollastonite.
The BLM has designed four SEZs in San Luis Valley Colorado: Antonito Southeast in Conejos County, De Tilla Gulch in Saguache County, Fourmile East in Alamosa County and Los Mogotes East in Conejos County. The BLM claims all four SEZs contain no locatable mineral deposits.
Five SEZs have been designed in southern Nevada including Amargosa Valley, Dry Lake, Dry Lake Valley North, Gold Point and Millers. The BLM asserts that no locatable mineral deposits are found on any of the SEZs.
However, Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nevada, accused the Obama Administration of specifically singling out new mining claims, emphasizing the administration’s preference for solar development. “The federal government should not be in the business of picking winners and losers, especially with its track record for doing so is abysmal. You would think that billions of taxpayer dollars lost, expensive energy and few jobs to show for it would be enough to dissuade them from a solar policy that has been an unmitigated failure.”
“I apologize to all westerners for the fact that, although it takes years to get a federal land use permit—and our region is under serious federal administrative scrutiny for a myriad of resource issues—this administration has no hesitation to pick land use winners without anything resembling public participation, or adherence to the present permitting process,” A modei declared. “Industries in the West like agriculture, other energy technologies, recreation and mining are certainly shaking their heads at this new level of arrogance and transparency that resembles lead.”
“The administration is interfering with the market at the worst possible time and it is interfering with the livelihood of western states without so much as giving the people who live and work there a heads up,” he observed.
In New Mexico, the BLM designated a single SEZ in south-central New Mexico, Afton in Dona Ana County. Although Afton lies within the Aden industrial mining district, the BLM claims that no located mineral deposits are within the site.
In southwestern Utah, three SEZs of about 6,000 acres each have been designated: Escalante Valley in Iron County, Milford Flats South and Wah Wah Valley, both in Beaver County. The BLM asserts that no locatable mineral deposits can be found in any of the three SEZs. Power companies serving those counties told reporters they support the BLM’s designations.
Topics: Mining, solar power, solar energy, BLM, Obama Administration, renewable energy, Solar Energy Zones, public lands withdrawals, mining on public lands, mining exploration on public lands, Department of Interior, Utah mining, Colorado mining, Nevada mining, California mining, New Mexico Mining, Arizona mining