Jane Danowitz, Director of the Pew Environment Group's U.S. public lands program, issued the following statement today on the introduction of legislation to reform the 1872 mining law by Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
“We are pleased that Chairman Bingaman has taken this critical step to begin to bring the nation's frontier-era mining law into the 21st century. His proposal includes key elements needed to reform one of the most outdated laws governing public lands.
“We look forward to working with Chairman Bingaman, his House counterpart, Chairman Rahall, and the Obama administration to ensure that today's mining industry will be governed by a modern law that provides protections for American taxpayers and the landscapes they love.”