Home · Turn off Ads · Product Info · Forum · Twitter · Education · Help/Contact · FAQ Register or sign in · Cart · Order status
Loading of ...
  Delay: « »
UntitledThe New Gold RushIllegal Galice Creek mineExcavation at Galice Creek mineGalice Creek mineSub-surface flow excvated in Galice Creek riparian reserveClifford Tracy claim on Sucker Creek, 2009Clifford Tracy mine on Sucker Creek, 2010Rogue Coho Habitat ThreatenedSalmon and taxpayers pay the priceLimiting Access to Public LandsThreat of violenceGalice Creek (sans mining)

Illegal Mining on Public Lands

Slideshow by KS Wild

4066 views since July 05, 2011.

Get a link button for this slideshow »

Make and share your own slideshow »

1 of 13

Untitled

On June 16, 2011 BLM geologists working on Galice Creek observed that the water was unusually cloudy with sediment. They traced the sediment discharge upstream to a mining claim and found that a half acre area next to Galice Creek had been cleared and a settling pond excavated, all apparently by heavy equipment for an illegal mining operation.

The miner responsible has been charged with mining without permits before. In 2009 he left with the gold while leaving the clean-up to the taxpayers.

What the BLM found that day in the woods is part of a larger problem on public lands.

Photo by KS Wild

Link »

2 of 13

The New Gold Rush

With the upswing in the price of minerals, including gold, we're seeing a dramatic increase in mining proposals on public lands in southern Oregon and northern California. Many of the new proposals are from speculators hoping to make a quick buck off of public lands by stripping the wealth from streamside public lands that belong to all of us.

KS Wild and Rogue Riverkeeper are working to defend public lands and waters throughout the region from illegal and poorly regulated mining.

Some miners believe they are above the law. They have threatened violence, limited public access to public lands, and are destroying important habitat for endangered salmon.

These miners ignore the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act under an interpretation of the 1872 Mining Act, which they believe exempts them from laws that apply to all of us to protect resources that belong to all of us.


Photo by KS Wild

Link »

3 of 13

Illegal Galice Creek mine

Illegal Galice Creek mine

In June of 2011 Clifford Tracy was found to be operating earth moving equipment and conducting extensive mining along Galice Creek without authorization from the BLM and without any Clean Water Act permits adjacent to Galice Creek.

Galice Creek provides habitat for steelhead, Chinook, and endangered Coho Salmon.

Photo by KS Wild

Link »

4 of 13

Excavation at Galice Creek mine

Excavation at Galice Creek mine

Mr. Tracy brought in heavy equipment, removed trees, and started extensive mining of the public forests that serve as the Galice Creek reparian reserve on BLM lands.

Photo by KS Wild

Link »

5 of 13

Galice Creek mine

Galice Creek mine

A sediment plume from this illegal mining was visible 1.5 miles downstream in Galice Creek.

In an affidavit regarding Clifford Tracy's Galice Creek mine, a BLM employee reported:

"A half acre area next to Galice Creek had been cleared and a settling/processing pond excavated, all apparently by heavy equipment. The site contained a large excavator and a dump truck. A processing plant was floating in the middle of the pond. Muddy sediment from the pond was leaking directly into Galice Creek. A gas water pump was placed in Galice Creek apparently provided water for the processing pond."

All of this work was done without Clean Water Act permits and other necessary authorization.

Photo by KS Wild

Link »

6 of 13

Sub-surface flow excvated in Galice Creek riparian reserve

Sub-surface flow excvated in Galice Creek riparian reserve

Mr. Tracy's work is tearing up a beautiful and important creek for steelhead and salmon habitat. But, this isn't the first time Clifford Tracy has acted as if he were above the law. Tracy has a history of illegal mining and habitat destruction.

Photo by KS Wild

Link »

7 of 13

Clifford Tracy claim on Sucker Creek, 2009

Clifford Tracy claim on Sucker Creek, 2009

Mr. Tracy has already been found guilty of illegally mining on Forest Service lands in 2009, where he clearcut a riparian reserve for Sucker Creek and released dirty water into Coho salmon habitat.

Clean-up costs ($29,000) of this illegal mining operation on Sucker Creek in 2009 was left to the taxpayer after the miner declared bankruptcy to avoid reparation costs ordered by the courts.

This photo shows s tributary stream that Mr. Tracy diverted away from Sucker Creek and into his mining operation.

To read more about Tracy's illegal mining in 2009, click here.

Photo by KS Wild

Link »

8 of 13

Clifford Tracy mine on Sucker Creek, 2010

Clifford Tracy mine on Sucker Creek, 2010

This 2010 image from Sucker Creek, considered one of the most important tributary streams for imperiled Coho Salmon in the Rogue River Basin, shows the total destruction of public lands and wildlife habitat.

Read the Mail Tribune article, "Up Sucker Creek in southwest Oregon, Gold miners' rights collide with conservation".

Photo by KS Wild

Link »

9 of 13

Rogue Coho Habitat Threatened

Rogue Coho Habitat Threatened

The good work of concerned citizens, the BLM, and the Forest Service to restore this world-class salmon habitat is being undone by a few miners who believe they are above the law.

Photo by KS Wild

Link »

10 of 13

Salmon and taxpayers pay the price

Salmon and taxpayers pay the price

The 2009 stimulus bill contained nearly $10 million for clean-up of toxic mining waste on public lands in southwest Oregon, and that barely scratches the surface of the problem.

The abandoned Almeda mine on the Wild and Scenic Rogue River has been discharging carcinogenic heavy metals into the river for decades.

Taxpayers have already shelled out hundreds of thousands of dollars in unsuccessful efforts to clean it up.

Photo by KS Wild

Link »

11 of 13

Limiting Access to Public Lands

Limiting Access to Public Lands

Many miners believe that they are above the law and that National Forest lands literally belong to them. You may have noticed an increase in "No Trespassing" signs on public lands. Most of these are from miners.

Photo by KS Wild

Link »

12 of 13

Threat of violence

Threat of violence

On April 5, 2009, Mr. Gregory Graybill was shot while recreationally driving on a Forest Service road on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest by miner Eugene Spears who objected to use of the public road near his federal mining claim. According to witnesses, the miner placed a 12-gauge shotgun against Mr. Grabill's chest, told him he would shoot, and pulled the trigger. The victim turned the gun aside as it discharged such that he was shot in the arm and shoulder. After several surgeries, Mr. Graybill lost his arm.

Unfortunately, the Southwest Oregon Mining Association is using the shooting to organize radical miners in support of Mr. Spears and his violent actions. The Mining Association's web page calls on miners to attend Mr. Spears trial on February 8th, 2011 in Grants Pass and "wear your Mineral Estate Grantee shirts" in support of the shooter.


Click here to read a Mail Tribune article, "He was going to kill me," detailing the attack.

Photo by KS Wild

Link »

13 of 13

Galice Creek (sans mining)

Galice Creek (sans mining)

Please join us in taking action. Tell Oregon state leadership that illegal miners pose a serious threat to public lands.

Take action by clicking here

KS Wild is the primary watchdog of the Klamath-Siskiyou region. We are actively monitoring mining operations in southwest Oregon, have litigated on these issues, and vigilently work to protect and defend public lands from illegal miners. We strive to protect wild areas for public use. We depend on participation from the public to hold illegal miners accountable. Take action today.

Photo by Sherry L. Andreason

Link »

Tons of fun stuff... Give one of our toys a spin!

Billboard, Color Palette Generator, Bead Art, Pocket Album, Magazine Cover, Pop Art Poster, FX, Mosaic Maker, Jigsaw, CD Cover, Hockneyizer, Photobooth, Wallpaper, Calendar, Cube, Movie Poster, Motivator, Mat, Framer, Lolcat Generator, Badge Maker, Trading Card, Map Maker,

I know, right? It's a lot to take in. Go slow.