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Local, National Businesses Call for Protection of Siskiyou Wild Rivers, Mining Reform

As mining claims increase, local businesses fear for their bottom line

Local rafters, fishing guides, retailers team up with national brands to defend Oregon's Yellowstone from harmful mining.

Twenty-eight local and national businesses sent a letter today to Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) urging the protection of prized salmon streams and unique wildlands in the Siskiyou Wild Rivers. National brands like Patagonia and KEEN Footwear joined with local fishing, rafting, hospitality, and retail businesses in an effort to push reform of the nation’s outdated 1872 General Mining Law. The letter comes as a modern mining boom threatens wildlife and scenic landscapes in the state’s most biologically rich region.

“The rivers in our area are not only some of the most beautiful in the world, they are also a source of sustainable jobs for the local communities,” said Pete Wallstrom, owner of Momentum River Expeditions based in Ashland. “Current mining laws and practices are outdated, shortsighted, and they threaten an irreplaceable natural resource and the long term health of local economies.”

The business letter represents the latest turn in a debate over harmful mining sparked in part by recent illegal mining in the Sucker Creek watershed outside of Cave Junction. In November, Clifford Tracy of Gold Hill was convicted of illegally cutting down trees, bulldozing sediment, and excavating mining ponds without a permit. Though Tracy’s actions represent an extreme, with over 1,200 active mining claims in the region the potential for abuse is great.

The recent spike in mining claim applications began in 2001 when the Bush Administration overturned a proposed rule that would have protected sensitive lands in the Siskiyou Wild Rivers from new mining activity. This Clinton-era rule called for a moratorium on mining across approximately one million acres. The mining moratorium effort was rekindled in recent months as Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski, Senator Ron Wyden, Senator Jeff Merkley, and Representative Peter DeFazio all called on the Obama Administration to call a time-out on mining in the Siskiyou Wild Rivers. Today’s letter from affected businesses goes a step further in calling for an overhaul of the nation’s mining laws.

“The Siskiyou Wild Rivers are a microcosm of the greater problem this nation has with our outdated mining laws,” added Ani Kame’enui with the conservation group Oregon Wild. “We need a moratorium now, but in the long run, we must ensure that our mining laws protect human health, and cease to reward private profit over the public good.”

In the letter, business signers point to recent studies on the economic impact of the Rogue River watershed. There, recreation alone accounted for a $30 million economic boost in 2007. In a separate report, economists found that west coast residents enjoy more than $1.5 billion in economic benefit annually from the Rogue River salmon and steelhead runs.

“Destructive mining generally benefits one person and is a lose-lose proposition for everyone else,” concluded Darren Campbell with the conservation group Siskiyou Project. “Fisheries are degraded, outdoor recreation opportunities are diminished, and public tax dollars pay for clean-up while the miner moves on to cash in on the next piece of public land.”

Businesses signing on to the letter: Rogue Forest B&B, Rogue Wilderness Adventures, River and Commercial Fishing Guide, Circle J’s Café, Clear Creek Family Practice, Emergency Room Physician Barbara Villona, Jefferson State Financial Group, Troon Vineyard, Herb Pharm, Rivertrips Unlimited, Oregon Fishing, ECHO River Trips, Geoff's Guide Service, Travis Malone Fishing, Encore Ceramics, Kokopelli River Center, Fly Water Travel, LLC, Momentum River Expeditions, KEEN Footwear, Patagonia, Scott Fly Rod Company, Temple Fork Outfitters Fly Rods, Arch Anglers, Clif Bar & Company, Northwest Fly Fishing Adventures, Inc., Black Diamond Equipment, Outdoor Research, Royal Robbins

Read the full business letter here.

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