From Truchas TU Pombo Amendment Removed!

[Truchas TU]

TU Members

We have sent you several e-mails urging you to contact our congressional 
delegation to state your opposition to the provisions inserted into the 
House Budget Reconciliation Bill by Reps. Pombo of California and Gibbons of 
Nevada that would have amended the General Mining Act of 1872.  Those 
amendments would have allowed anyone claiming a mining interest in public 
land in the United States to buy that land for no more than $1,000 an acre 
and to develop it for private lodges, ski resorts,and subdivisions.  Those 
provisions would have allowed the sale of hundreds of millions of acres of 
public land.

Forturnately, because of pressure from you and from other anglers, hunters, 
and conservationists, the sponsors of the mining act amendments pulled them 
from the Budget Reconciliation Bill yesterday.  This is a major victory for 
all Americans, but especially for people who use our public lands.  It is a 
major victory, as well, for the fish and wildlife that live there.
We thank and congratulate all of you who contacted members of our 
congressional delegation about this issue.

Kevin Reilly, Advocacy Chair
Truchas Chapter of Trout Unlimited.