Oversight Hearing on:

• “Mining in America: The Administration’s Use of Claim Maintenance Fees and Cleanup of Abandoned Mine Lands”

Archived Video Webcast:

Member Statements:

The Honorable Doug Lamborn
Subcommittee Chairman

Witnesses and Testimony:

PANEL I

Jamie Connell
BLM Acting Deputy Director
U.S. Department of the Interior

PANEL II

Kris Hefton
Chief Operating Officer, Director
Vane Minerals (US) LLC
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Harold Roberts
Executive VP and Chief Operating Officer
Energy Fuels Resources Corp.
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Steve Moyer
Vice President, Government Affairs
Trout Unlimited
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Lauren Pagel
Policy Director
Earthworks
(Truth in Testimony Form)

Background:

This hearing will examine maintenance fees for mining claims and what can be done to make sure there is a strong “Good Samaritan” program in place to clean up abandoned mine lands. Currently, mine claim maintenance fees, assessed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), generate about $60 million annually while only $39 million is used for BLM’s Mining Law Administration program. Subcommittee Members will hear testimony on the need for reforms of the BLM’s claim maintenance fees as well as effective “Good Samaritan” abandoned mine land programs that limit the liability of governments, non-governmental organizations, individuals, and businesses that voluntarily clean up abandoned hard rock mines.

Related Documents:

• Subcommittee Hearing Notice - June 4, 2013
• Subcommittee Hearing Witness List - June 12, 2013