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Huge Victory for Southern Oregon Rivers!

Today the BLM and Forest Service, under the Obama Administration, announced protection of Southern Oregon’s Rough and Ready Creek, Baldface Creek, North Fork of the Smith River, Hunter Creek, and Pistol River with a 20 year administrative “mineral withdrawal” (aka mining withdrawal).

Southern Oregon's Rough and Ready Creek
Southern Oregon’s Rough and Ready Creek

This has taken years to accomplish after exensive public comments and three public hearings showing overwhelming support of protection of these places. These rivers and creeks are uniquely special and absolutely deserve this protection from large scale mining.

What is an Administrative Mineral Withdrawal?

The General Mining Act of 1872 allows citizens and corporations to prospect and mine our public lands. While this frontier era law has not been updated since its inception, multinational corporations and huge earthmoving machines have largely replaced hand tools and small operators in the intervening decades. Mining our public lands can be devastating and a mineral withdrawal removes (withdraws) certain areas from the establishment of new mining claims. It also requires existing claims to demonstrate that their mining claims contain a deposit of valuable minerals before they can do any mining.

An administrative mineral withdrawal is temporary protection for our public lands that is put in place by the Secretary of Interior. The mineral withdrawal is made permanent when the U.S. Congress passes mineral withdrawal legislation.

In short, an administrative mineral withdrawal protects our public lands from new mining claims for 20 years.

Is This a Big Deal?

Yes! These rivers and creeks are some of the most beautiful and unique in the world. They also provide clean drinking water for Southern Oregon and Northern California communities.

Baldface Creek is a tributary of the North Fork of the Smith River
Baldface Creek is a tributary of the North Fork of the Smith River

The administrative mineral withdrawal announced today gives our members of Congress 20 years to pass legislation to permanently protect these creeks and rivers.

What’s Next?

Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Representatives Peter DeFazio and Jared Huffman have introduced the Southwestern Oregon Watershed & Salmon Protection Act which will provide permanent protection for these creeks. We need to get this (or similar) legislation through Congress.

Thank You!

This protection comes from the hard work of many people. If you signed a petition or submitted comments about why these places are special then you were an important part of the process. Thank you!

American Whitewater featuring Rough and Ready Creek in 2015
American Whitewater featuring Rough and Ready Creek in 2015

There were many, many people in the background working hard on the nuts and bolts of the withdrawal. This coalition includes:

Friends of the Kalmiopsis
Kalmiopsis Audubon
Native Fish Society
Smith River Alliance
Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center
Soda Mountain Wilderness Council
Western Environmental Law Center
Northwest Rafting Company
Trout Unlimited
EARTHWORKS
American Rivers
American Whitewater
The Pew Charitable Trusts

Thank you to the many people with the Forest Service and BLM who have put countless time and effort into gathering information for this mineral withdrawal.

Finally I want to thank Senator Wyden, Senator Merkley, Representative DeFazio, Representative Huffman, and their staff. They are all champions of these places we love.


Originally Published: | Updated on | Categorized under: River Conservation

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Zachary Collier

As owner of Northwest Rafting Company, Zach Collier combines international guiding experience in places like Siberia, Bhutan, and Chile with a natural business acumen for systems and logistics. Whether he’s on big water or in the back office, Zach strives to ensure Northwest Rafting Company offers exceptional whitewater and wilderness experiences for guests and guides alike.

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