Mining in Town

From the Santa Fe New Mexican and AP is news of Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearings about 1872 Mining Law changes and a new report by the Pew Campaign for Responsible Mining.   

... The Pew Campaign for Responsible Mining and the Environmental Working Group said in a report released Tuesday that active mining claims on federal land near Western cities and towns increased almost 50 percent since 2003, to more than 50,000 claims....

The National Mining Association says the increase in claims is driven by a surging worldwide demand for raw materials. The association's Luke Popovich said 5 percent or less of claims are actually mined and added the industry is working to lessen the amount of pollution it creates.

Tuesday's report, Popovich said, shows environmentalists are "against those communities that depend on mines for their livelihood."

The federal government reported last month that the metal mining industry disposed of or released 1.2 billion tons of toxic chemicals in 2006 — more than any other industry.

There is little difference, in practice, between community livelihood and community environmental health.  The National Mining Association and others benefit from weak public memory in obscuring this truth.

It is an uranium "renaissance" because we've forgotten what a bad idea it was.