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Wide coalition urges protections for fish under new rules for suction dredge mining
By Chris Shutes, FERC Projects Director
December 4, 2009 -- Two dozen environmental and fishing groups, including CSPA, submitted scoping comments today to the California Department of Fish and Game in preparation for a Subsequent Environmental Impact Report for new rules regarding suction dredge mining.
As an overarching principle, the comments state:
“Commenters believe that the permitting program should be limited to include only those rivers in which the Department can affirmatively prove that no deleterious impacts will occur to fish.”
The comments support site-specific analysis before issuing permits, prohibition of suction dredging where mercury will be disturbed and discharged into waters, prohibition of suction dredging in wild and scenic rivers, and prohibition of suction dredging in rivers and streams that are home to a variety of important or at-risk fisheries.