Opposition to Oregon Senate Bills 115, 370 and 401!
Oregon Senator Bates (Ashland-Medford District) and others have submitted three anti-mining bills to the Oregon legislature. If these destructive bills are passed into law, it will put a complete end to suction dredge and all other forms of motorized gold mining in the entire State of Oregon!
These bills in no way are based upon any science or rational justification. They are being pushed by anti-mining activists that want to eliminate the last remaining productive economic activity on America’s public lands. The bills have been introduced as emergency measures “for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety.” Emergency bills move through the legislative process on fast track and become law as soon as they are passed. Therefore, we do not have much time to voice our opposition.
Here is a short description of each of the bills with talking points that you can copy over to emails or letters to the Oregon lawmakers in the Senate. Here is a list of the 30 Oregon Senators. Since we want to voice a lot of opposition, we encourage you to direct your opposition of all three bills to all of the senators.
Here is our challenge: Even if all of the republican senators vote the bills down, we must also get at least two democratic senators to vote our way in order to kill these very destructive bills. This is why we placed the list of democratic senators at the top of the list. According to our sources, the four senators at the top of the list (names in red) may be receptive to reasonable opposition to these bills. At the very least, please make contact with those four senators!
We must flood the Oregon senate with very vocal opposition right now! Calling their offices with firm opposition would be very productive!
Here are some important points:
1) The subject line in your emails should say, Opposition to Senate Bills 115, 370 and 401!
2) Written opposition will not even be considered unless you include your name and address.
3) Be polite and courteous, even if you are expressing anger. Do not make any threats!
4) While there is no problem copying over the talking points from our page, the written communication should be from you. Tell these lawmakers we are sick and tired of the government taking away our property and our opportunities to make a living! “These destructive shenanigans have to end now!”
Just at the time when we have figured out how to do some (limited) underwater suction mining in California, this is not the time for us to lose all of Oregon! If we do not all pull together and kill these bills right now, we will find ourselves devoting years and years trying to overcome them through expensive litigation! Please help!
Additional note: In addition to this call in campaign, Oregon voters intend to implement a recall effort against Senator Bates. The message is that we the people are going to vote out lawmakers who are pushing forward an agenda to destroy the remaining productive enterprises in America. Anyone interested in assisting in this recall effort should make contact with the Galice Mining District of Southern Oregon.
