Federal Rulings Mark Attitudinal Shift Towards Mining Rights And Land Preservation

Published June 4, 2019 at 3:35 PM MDT

An angler on the South Fork of the Payette River. A BLM administrative law judge recenty ruled 35 claims along the river cannot be mined because the operations could compromise the natural integrity of the region.

A March ruling by a BLM judge prohibited the mining of 35 small claims along the South Fork Payette River. This marks a growing trend favoring preservation of public lands for recreational use over mining operations. Adam Sowards is a professor of environmental sciences at the University of Idaho and he authors a column for High Country News called Reckoning With History. Sowards joins Idaho Matters to discuss addresses this shift and why it may continue into the future.