Washington HB2008 and SB5862 another fee for Small Scale Miners ($150)

I just got this email from a club based out of Washington. I believe it was the Bedrock Prospectors Club. As far as I can tell the gubers are trying to make it more costly to operate epuipment out of season. In Washington we go by the rules set aside in the Gold and Fish Pamphlet. This pamphlet sets the seasons by which you can dredge or use anyother motorized equipment. You can operate motorized equipment outside of the seasons set by the Gold and Fish Pamphlet however it requires an in depth 12 page document to be completely filled out, then you sit and wait for an act of God. As far as I can tell this really only affects people who are operating outside of the rules, however, it is a step in the wrong direction. You are all familiar with the domino effect. I will post more information as it becomes available. If all of you on this forum would please politely write the Representatives and plea your case. I really emphasize on the POLITELY. People respond better to kindness, than to a heavy hand. I firmly believe we had a lot to do with the failure of the Oregon bill so let's do it again.

Thank You All!!!

Sean

PLEASE  FORWARD!!!!
 
We need more than the 15 miners that showed up yesterday at the Senate hearing on SB 5862. 
 
Can anyone offer up an explanation why we never get any miners from Eastern Wa.?  Seems to me that if Bill Thomas and RC from Bellingham and Greg Christensen from Bellingham over all these past years and Scott Atkinson from Vancouver can make hearings in Wa. that someone from Eastern Wa. could could make it to Olympia.   I simply don't understand it!  Seems the driving distance is similar.
 
Bruce Beatty.

 

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Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2011 10:12:02 -0800
From: president@resourcescoalition.org
To:
Subject: House Hearing on HB 2008 HPA Fee Legislation

  The House Committee on General Government Appropriations & Oversight has scheduled a public hearing on HB 2008 Regarding the administration of natural resources programs next Tuesday March 15, 2011 at 8:00 am. The  hearing will be held in  House Hearing Rm C of the John L. O'Brien Building in Olympia.

HB 2008 is the companion bill to SB 5862 that was heard by the Senate Natural Resources & Marine Waters Committee yesterday, which can be watched on your computer via TVW by going to this link.  HB2008 & SB 5862 propose to combine conditions within the the Forest Practices Permit and the Hydraulic Approval Permit and establishes a fee schedule.  The senate hearing was attended by and testified by, PRO and CON by many heavy hitters.  Your support is needed to bring down this piece of legislation.  Please read the bill and be informed.

This bill proposes to charge a submittal fee of $150 for an individual HPA to work outside the regulations of the Gold and Fish Pamphlet. 
      The Gold and Fish Pamphlet will be free.
      Modifications to an mineral prospecting and mining HPA will be Free.
     
As stated before, there are other concerns within this bill. Some of these are;
  The title of this statute will change to the "Hydraulic Code" from "Construction projects in state waters".
  The definition of the "Ordinary High Water Line" will change to the "Ordinary High Water Mark" as defined by Washington Dept of Ecology.
  Projects that expend enormous amounts of time, resources and $money$, such as fish passage barrier and fish habitat enhancement projects are exempted from all fees.
  Section 6(4) may violate the Washington State Constitution Article I "DECLARATION OF RIGHTS", SECTION 12 "SPECIAL PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES PROHIBITED" by exempting from all fee's, NGO's but not the Small Scale Mineral Prospecting and Mining Community.
  Only a 50% refund if department violates the timing requirement established by this Statute or if an HPA is denied.
  Does not allow a partial fee to be paid for a yearly permit.

  If you can, PLEASE attend this hearing.  Bring your spouse, significant other, children and friends.  We know that we have an impact when we fill the room and voice our opinion.  Let us plan on meeting, at the sundial at 7:30a.m.

If you have not yet done so, Please contact the Chair and members of the House Committee on General Government Appropriations & Oversight, and YOUR Representative, stating your objections to HB 2008, why and provide an alternate solution.  Remember to provide your name, address and phone number in any correspondence.


General Government Appropriations & Oversight


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Committee Members

 
Representative Email Address
 Phone
Hudgins, Zack (D) Chair  zack.hudgins@leg.wa.gov
 (360) 786-7956
Miloscia, Mark (D) Vice Chair  mark.miloscia@leg.wa.gov
 (360) 786-7898
McCune, Jim (R) *  jim.mccune@leg.wa.gov
 (360) 786-7824
Taylor, David (R) **  david.taylor@leg.wa.gov
 (360) 786-7874
Ahern, John (R)  john.ahern@leg.wa.gov
 (360) 786-7962
Armstrong, Mike (R)  mike.armstrong@leg.wa.gov
 (360) 786-7832
Blake, Brian (D)  brian.blake@leg.wa.gov
 (360) 786-7870
Fitzgibbon, Joe (D)  joe.fitzgibbon@leg.wa.gov
 (360) 786-7952
Ladenburg, Connie (D)  connie.ladenburg@leg.wa.gov
 (360) 786-7906
Moscoso, Luis (D)  luis.moscoso@leg.wa.gov
 (360) 786-7900
Pedersen, Jamie (D)  pedersen.jamie@leg.wa.gov
 (360) 786-7826
Van De Wege, Kevin (D)  vandewege.kevin@leg.wa.gov
 (360) 786-7916
Wilcox, J.T. (R)  jt.wilcox@leg.wa.gov (360) 786-7912

*Ranking Minority Member **Asst. Ranking Minority Member


Legislative Hotline Operators: 1-800-562-6000

SINCERELY

Bill Thomas
President
Resources Coalition


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No, they are going to charge you $150 if you want to work outside of the one month window there is established for dredging (most gold bearing streams are only open for one month, some are open longer). Right now you need to get a Hydraulic Project Approval which is a long form you submit and wait for approval. My understanding is that they want to charge $150 for the HPA. This is a hit for miners who take the time fill out all of the necessary paper work to work their claims year-round with motorized equipment. The problem is that we don't need another fee. It is a step in the wrong direction. If you give them an inch they take a mile. I would just as soon see it stopped. I need to find the exact copy of the bill that is being proposed so I can post it here and we can all make an informed decision.

Thanks

Sean

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The laws here in Washington are confusing. You can sluice and pan year round on most streams. Running high bankers, dredges, trommels, or working in the active stream is limited to one month.

Here is another email I just got from Richard:

Sean, I understand how you feel about this. We are working for all miners. It seems that you may not hear about a lot of the Olympia goings on. It seems that the WDFW wants to charge the Miners up to $5000 (per site). We now have it down to $150 and it will cover multiple sites. We are trying to get all miners out from under the HPA program. If this happens we won?t even need a Gold and Fish book. We would also be state wide.If you would like more give me a call. We are not only fighting for us but for you and that side of the state as well. We need to have more people show up for these hearings , we are making some headway But when you go to these hearings we not only have the miners but also  the environmentalist  and the WDFW and the senators and representatives to deal with. Some of the senators and representatives are coming around to our side but its still an uphill battle.
Do you have a club there. If so let me know. I might be able to make a trip over and visit your meeting.
We know people have to work but there are also people that do not. These people could lend a hand.
I was asked to send the message out to try and get some support from the other side.
Please contact me and lets talk
Richard

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Hey Sean you know it's a fur piece more from your side over to Olympia than from Bellingham and then there's the passes to worry about.
Ah good old Snoqualmie Pass went over that one twice when I got hitched down in Othello in Nov. many moons ago, did my HM over on Vancouver Island.  Rode the ferry thru the San Juans and on the way back stopped in North Bend for gas and the guy said I was in luck they had just taken the chain sign down.  So we started off an as we progressed up the hill the rain turned to snow, kept a steady speed and we made it over on sweat, when got down to Cle Elum the state boys had west bound traffic stopped and chaining up.

You also know they schedule those meetings in the winter purposely to keep you Eastern miners from attending.  You folks up in WA and usun's down here in OR have to get those liberal tree hugger types out of the state houses so the folks can get back to using their land for something other than bird watching.

Take care up there,
Gramps

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Wise wellll the wife would give you a different read on that, but that's another storey for another time.

Gramps

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