Last night, the Albuquerque City Council voted unanimously
to approve a resolution supporting the 1872 Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act
of 2007.
The resolution, sponsored by Councilor Rey Garduño, urges
New Mexico Senators Jeff Bingaman and Pete Domenici to support strong mining
reform, similar to what was already passed by the U.S. House of Representatives
(H.R. 2262).
“The century-old mining law that is currently on the books
allows mining companies practically unfettered access to our public lands and
national forests, gives away our lands and minerals for pennies on the dollar,
and lets polluters off the hook for clean up,” said Environment New Mexico
Advocate, Lauren Ketcham. “Originally passed
under President Ulysses S. Grant, its time for a modern mining law. This reform
is needed to protect our National Parks, our drinking water
and ensure that polluters pay to clean up abandoned mines.”
In the last five years, mining companies have expressed the
desire to mine on 800 claims within five miles of the Grand Canyon—close
enough that the cyanide and other toxic chemicals they use to separate ore from
rock could run off into the streams that feed the Colorado River
and the trails and wild lands that surround it. And in New
Mexico, new mining claims have increased by 50
percent in just the past five years.
According to the EPA, mining waste has polluted 40 percent
of the watersheds that provide Western
communities with drinking water.
“We applaud the Albuquerque City Council for sending a
strong message to New Mexico’s
Senators that the City supports this important mining legislation. We hope that
Senator Bingaman and Senator Domenici will provide the needed leadership to
pass these needed reforms,” concluded Ketcham.
