Mining/Metal NMA

<p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">---</font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">see mining 2 6/18</font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">see disambig NMA 3 /22</font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></p><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">this reps industry in general, also <b style="line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The National Mining Association (NMA)</b>
</font><div><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">repped by troutman</font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"> =</font></p><div class="elititle-wrapper" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 2rem; margin-top: -0.4em; letter-spacing: 0.5px;"><a href="https://www.corpwatch.org/article/rio-tinto-blows-46000-year-old-sacred-aboriginal-site-quest-iron-ore" hreflang="en" style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.03rem; text-decoration-line: none; outline: 0px; font-weight: 700;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Rio Tinto Blows Up 46,000 Year Old Sacred Aboriginal Site in Quest for Iron Ore</font></a></div><div class="elitags" style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span class="elitag-lable" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Industries:</span> <a href="https://www.corpwatch.org/industries/energy-mining-utilities" hreflang="en" style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.03rem; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 700;">Energy, Mining & Utilities</a></font></div><div class="elimeta" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; letter-spacing: 0.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span class="elipublisher" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Published by CorpWatch | </span><span class="eliauthor" style="box-sizing: border-box;">By Michelle Lee | </span><span class="elidate" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Friday, July 3, 2020</span></font></div><div class="elibody-wrapper" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; letter-spacing: 0.5px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Juukan Gorge, a 46,000 year-old sacred Aboriginal site in the Pilbara region of Western Australia was <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/rio-tinto-mining-destroyed-indigenous-aboriginal-site-juukan-gorge-protest-perth/24e64258-8dd8-4c12-bf04-4ee40065e567" style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.03rem; text-decoration-line: none;">blown up</a> by Rio Tinto, the world’s second largest mining company, in a quest for iron ore, despite the fact that company exec</font></p><a class="eli__read-more" href="https://www.corpwatch.org/article/rio-tinto-blows-46000-year-old-sacred-aboriginal-site-quest-iron-ore" style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.03rem; text-decoration-line: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Read More</font></a></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">you can't make this up: <a href="https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/10/1/21497568/former-coal-ceo-robert-murray-files-black-lung-benefits-crandall-canyon-mine-robert-murray-energy" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none;">https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/10/1/21497568/former-coal-ceo<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">-robert-murray-files-black-lung-benefits</span>-crandall-canyon-mine-robert-murray-energy</a></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style=""><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.climateofdenial.org/track-climate-change-denial/robert-e-murray-2/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none;">https://www.climateofdenial.org/track-climate-change-denial/robert-e-murray-2/</a></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style=""><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 0px 1em; box-sizing: inherit; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">founder and former CEO of Murray Energy, Robert E. Murray is a notorious climate change denier and avid supporter of coal<b>. Mr. Murray has risen to fame in part due to his excessive self-paid salaries, support of the Republican Party, and his advocacy for the coal industry</b>. Mr. Murray is on the board of directors at numerous coal associations, including:</font></p><ul style="box-sizing: inherit; overflow-wrap: break-word; margin: 0px 0px 1em 2em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><a href="https://www.climateofdenial.org/track-climate-change-denial/national-mining-association/" style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; transition: all 0.2s ease-out 0s; background-color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><b><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">National Mining Association</font></b></a></li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">American Coal Foundation</font></span></li><li style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">National Coal Council</font></li><li style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Ohio Coal Association</font></li><li style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Pennsylvania Coal Association</font></li></ul><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 0px 1em; box-sizing: inherit; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Mr. Murray is also a former president and trustee of the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers, Inc., as well as the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration, Inc., in addition to having been the past president of The Rocky Mountain Coal Mining Institute. Mr. Murray has worked to reduce environmental regulation and bring coal back to the forefront of the energy sector.<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);"> He notably wrote President Trump a memo outlining an energy ‘Action Plan’ to roll back regulations with 16 requests. </span></font></p><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 0px 1em; box-sizing: inherit; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Some particularly heinous examples include withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accord, overhauling mine safety and health regulations, cutting the EPA by half, revising coal mine dust regulation, and eliminating the Clean Power Plan</span>. The level of access Mr. Murray has had to cabinet officials has been alarming, and many of his plans have come to fruition. <span style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit;">The New York Times</span> in a published article titled “<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/09/climate/coal-murray-trump-memo.html" data-mce-href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/09/climate/coal-murray-trump-memo.html" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; transition: all 0.2s ease-out 0s;">How a Coal Baron’s Wish List Became President Trump’s To-Do List</a>” states: “I really don’t think it’s at all unusual that Murray would have this wish list or a set of recommendations. What makes it different is that it’s pretty clear that he has a personal relationship with the president,” Mr.<b> Holmstead</b> said. “It seems like given Mr. Murray’s relationship with the president that he had more of an expectation that these things were going to be accepted or implemented.” Mr. Murray is a dangerous and outspoken critic of environmental protection and is a heavy contributor to climate denial. See also: <a href="https://www.climateofdenial.org/track-climate-change-denial/julie-a-piggot/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; transition: all 0.2s ease-out 0s;">Julie A. Piggot</a>, <a href="https://www.climateofdenial.org/track-climate-change-denial/roger-nober/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; transition: all 0.2s ease-out 0s;">Roger Nober</a>, <a href="https://www.climateofdenial.org/track-climate-change-denial/kathryn-farmer/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; transition: all 0.2s ease-out 0s;">Kathryn Farmer</a>, Steven Bobb, and <a href="https://www.climateofdenial.org/track-climate-change-denial/charles-r-ice/" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; outline: none; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; transition: all 0.2s ease-out 0s;">Charles R. Ice</a>.</font></p></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></div></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">=</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="https://www.alternet.org/2020/04/theyre-crooks-coal-industry-aims-to-exploit-coronavirus-crisis-to-cut-payments-to-miners-with-black-lung" style="text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">https://www.alternet.org/2020/04/theyre-crooks-coal-industry-aims-to-exploit-coronavirus-crisis-to-cut-payments-to-miners-with-black-lung</font></a></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div style=""><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="" /><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style=""><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style=""><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style=""><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style=""><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style=""><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style=""><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style=""><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style=""><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style=""><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style=""><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style=""><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style=""><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style=""><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">no lnx omg</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>‘They’re crooks’: Coal industry aims to exploit coronavirus crisis to cut payments to miners with black lung</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Written by Jake Johnson / Common Dreams April 12, 2020</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">
</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Some of the largest coal companies in the United States are using the coronavirus crisis to pressure Congress to slash the tax that finances the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, a lifeline for more than 20,000 miners whose lung disease makes them more vulnerable to COVID-19.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">
</span></div><div style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The Washington Post reported this week that the </span><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">National Mining Association (NMA), a trade group that represents the biggest U.S. coal operators still standing, </b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">“asked Congress last month for a 55 percent cut in the excise tax for the trust fund, and a suspension of another fee that pays to clean up abandoned mines. Altogether the operators say they could save about $220 million.”</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“While the level of taxation to back the fund has fluctuated sharply over the past two years,” the Post noted, “it currently stands at $1.10 for every ton of coal mined underground and 55 cents for surface coal.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>Harold Sturgill, a 60-year-old retired miner who was diagnosed with black lung in 1998, said in an interview with the Post that coal companies are “going to try to use this virus thing to stop paying benefits.”</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“They’re crooks,” Sturgill said</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>Sierra Club</b></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">@SierraClub</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“The burden should be on the coal operators,” Bounds said. “They come in our state, they mine our coal, they fill their pockets up, they declare bankruptcy. They leave with all the cash, and there’s no money to pay the miners.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/04/08/coal-black-lung-coronavirus/ … #blacklungkills #covid19</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">As covid-19 hits, coal companies aim to cut the tax they pay to support black lung miners</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The nation’s coal companies, citing the economic impact of the covid-19 pandemic, want to roll back their payments to the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund. That would leave the federal government to...</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">washingtonpost.com</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">30</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">10:29 AM - Apr 9, 2020</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Twitter Ads info and privacy</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">31 people are talking about this</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">The NMA explicitly pointed to the coronavirus crisis in its tax cut request to Congress (pdf)—which was not included in the stimulus package that Congress passed last month—and labeled the coal industry “essential” to energy production in the United States. A group of Republican senators is currently pressuring the Federal Reserve to allow coal companies to benefit from the multi-trillion-dollar CARES Act.</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“As the country faces this unique and mounting challenge around the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. coal miners continue to work to provide the resources necessary to power America while bracing for the severe financial distress facing all sectors across the nation,” NMA wrote to congressional leaders. “To minimize the impact of this crisis on the coal industry, Congress should ensure all businesses have the financial resources necessary to ride out the pandemic.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The group, according to the Post, intends to keep pushing for the tax cut in future stimulus legislation.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">As EcoWatch reported earlier this week, “in some states like West Virginia, coal mines have been classified as essential services and are staying open during the COVID-19 pandemic, even though the close quarters miners work in and the known risks to respiratory health put miners in harm’s way during the spread of the coronavirus.”</span></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“Nobody knows what this virus is going to do when it gets to this area,” Jimmy Moore, a 74-year-old black lung patient in Shelby Gap, Kentucky, told HuffPost. “It’s probably just going to wipe us out.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Miners and advocates have long warned about the financial health of the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund, which is deeply in debt, and repeatedly asked lawmakers to act to ensure that the program is sustainable over the long term. Last July, as Common Dreams reported, a group of around 120 retired miners traveled to Washington, D.C. to demand congressional action to secure the fund’s finances, only to be brushed aside by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican.</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Lynda Glagola, chairwoman of the National Coalition of Black Lung and Respiratory Disease Clinics, told the Post that if Congress grants the coal industry its desired tax cut, “the fund will spiral deeper and deeper into debt causing it to become a red financial flag.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“Especially at this time, as the economy is collapsing right before our eyes,” Glagola warned, “lawmakers will soon be looking for programs to cut to save money and reduce the national debt and deficit.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>In response to NMA’s request, Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.)—chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee—and Rep. Matthew Cartwright (D-Pa.) wrote a letter (pdf) to congressional leaders last month urging them to reject the coal industry’s “wish-list” and “focus federal resources on the workers, families, and communities that are being hardest hit by this crisis.</b>”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“The coal industry is taking advantage of the country’s current circumstances to advocate for policies that are completely unrelated to the current crisis, policies that would in fact set back efforts to improve the health and lives of people across the country,” the lawmakers wrote. “At a time when the country is facing a pandemic due to a respiratory illness, it is particularly egregious for the coal industry to advocate reducing the Black Lung Excise Tax.”</div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</div></div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></p></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></div><div><header class="headline_block" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h1 class="headline " style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Industry, enviros fight over mining add-ons in authorization bill</font></h1><section class="byline" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0.25em 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold;"><p class="authors" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.eenews.net/staff/Nick_Sobczyk" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">Nick Sobczyk</a> and <a href="https://www.eenews.net/staff/Dylan_Brown" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent; text-decoration-line: none;">Dylan Brown</a>, E&E News reporters</font></p><time datetime="2018-06-12 06:59:42 -0400" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: normal;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="">Published: Tuesday, June 12, 2018</font></time></section></header><section class="login" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><section class="excerpt" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Senate is set to advance controversial legislation to pave the way for a major copper-nickel mine in Minnesota as part of its annual defense authorization bill.</font></p><p style="background: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 1em 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></p></section></section></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></div><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">=</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>NMA</b></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">http://www.countoncoal.org/about-us/</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">astroturf swamp thing</font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>Doug Matheney now works as a top assistant to Perry</b> after previously serving as the state coordinator for the Count on Coal </span><a href="http://www.countoncoal.org/" rel="noopener" target="_blank" style="box-sizing: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; word-break: break-word; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(195, 171, 255); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">initiative</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">. He also worked as a coordinator for the Koch-funded Americans for Prosperity.</span></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></font></p><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">=</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">bears ears</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/trump-bears-ears-2503802960.html">https://www.ecowatch.com/trump-bears-ears-2503802960.html</a></font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">mining</font></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">=</font></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 32px !important;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 32px !important;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">ref?</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 32px !important;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/25/world/asia/afghanistan-trump-mineral-deposits.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/25/world/asia/afghanistan-trump-mineral-deposits.html</a></font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 32px !important;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">President Trump, searching for a reason to keep the United States in Afghanistan after 16 years of war, has latched on to a prospect that tantalized previous administrations: Afghanistan’s vast mineral wealth, which his advisers and Afghan officials have told him could be profitably extracted by Western companies.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 32px !important;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Mr. Trump has discussed the country’s mineral deposits with President Ashraf Ghani, who promoted mining as an economic opportunity in one of their first conversations. Mr. Trump, who is deeply skeptical about sending more American troops to Afghanistan, has suggested that this could be one justification for the United States to stay engaged in the country.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 32px !important;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">To explore the possibilities, the White House is considering sending an envoy to Afghanistan to meet with mining officials. Last week, as the White House fell into an increasingly fractious debate over Afghanistan policy, three of Mr. Trump’s senior aides met with a chemical executive, Michael N. Silver, to discuss the potential for extracting rare-earth minerals. Mr. Silver’s firm, American Elements, specializes in these minerals, which are used in a range of high-tech products.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; line-height: 32px !important;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Stephen A. Feinberg, a billionaire financier who is informally advising Mr. Trump on Afghanistan, is also looking into ways to exploit the country’s minerals, according to a person who has briefed him. Mr. Feinberg owns a large military contracting firm, <b>DynCorp International</b>, which could play a role in guarding mines — a major concern, given that some of Afghanistan’s richest deposits are in areas controlled by the Taliban.</font></p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 22px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 32px !important;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In 2010, American officials estimated that Afghanistan had untapped mineral deposits worth nearly $1 trillion, an estimate that was widely disputed at the time and has certainly fallen since, given the eroding price of commodities. But the $1 trillion figure is circulating again inside the White House, according to officials, who said it had caught the attention of Mr. Trump.</font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">==</font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>The National Mining Association (NMA)</b>, which calls itself the “clear voice for U.S. mining,” is a trade association

“that represents the interests of mining before Congress, the administration, federal agencies, the judiciary, and the

media.”83 Exclusively dedicated to promoting the mining industry’s interests, the NMA has been granted UNFCCC

observer status, despite the fact that the organization does not acknowledge the seriousness of climate change and

adamantly opposes the Paris Agreement. Its track record reveals what its funding and name implies—that it will go to

great lengths to promote further coal production, thwarting climate policy proposals that stand in the way. </font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Links to the fossil fuel industry </font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>The NMA has received funding from Peabody Energy.</b>84 Kevin Crutchfield, CEO of Contura Energy, is chairman

of the board.85

The NMA represents the interests of some of the world’s largest and dirtiest coal mining corporations, such as

Peabody Energy, Arch Coal, GE Mining, and the American Coal Council.86

What it says about climate change and its causes

Although admitted to take part in climate negotiations at the UNFCCC, the NMA has failed to take a strong public

stance on the seriousness of climate change or the role that the burning of fossil fuels has played in causing

climate change.87-88

Public stance on the UNFCCC or the Paris Agreement

The NMA’s <b>vice president, Luke Popovich, has been outspoken against the Paris Agreement </b>and its requirements,

comparing it to forcing the U.S. to be “the only ‘good kid in the class.’”89 He has claimed that the rest of the world

will continue to increase its production of coal and that more regulation for the U.S. is not the solution to climate

change.89 </font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Track record on climate policy </font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><b>● Sued against pivotal climate policies.

In 2016, the NMA was one of the Parties that sued against the Clean Power Plan</b>, which was central to the Obama

Administration’s UNFCCC negotiating platform.90 Scott Pruitt, who is now President Trump’s head of the Environmental

Protection Agency, counseled the NMA and others through the case. A fact sheet recently produced by the NMA titled

“An Unlawful, Ineffective, Expensive Federal Government Power Grab” slammed the Clean Power Plan, insisting it

would have only a “negligible” impact on the environment but would devastate the economy.91</font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"> ● Campaigns for coal production.

Its “Count on Coal” campaign promotes coal as the “most abundant and affordable energy resource,” 92 ignoring the

devastating environmental impacts of the dirty fuel’s entire supply chain.</font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"> <span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">● Supports anti-climate Trump administration.

NMA President Hal Quinn welcomed the Trump administration with open arms because of its support of the coal

industry and its promises to dismantle the Clean Power Plan—the regulations at the heart of the U.S.’s commitments

to the Paris Agreement.93</span></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> ● Opposed protecting water and wildlife.

The NMA commissioned an 82-page report that deconstructs the U.S.’ Stream Protection Rule</span>, which aimed to reduce

harm to water and wildlife from coal production. Contrary to the analysis done by the Department of the Interior, the

report claimed the regulations would cost up to 77,000 jobs.94 In February of 2017, President Trump overturned this

rule, with the praise of the NMA.95</font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">death squads:</font></p><div><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"><a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/goldman-prize-winner-attacked-2011473558.html">http://www.ecowatch.com/goldman-prize-winner-attacked-2011473558.html</a></font></strong></div><div><strong style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">
</font></strong></div><div><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Early Sunday morning, </span><a href="http://www.goldmanprize.org/recipient/maxima-acuna/" target="blank" style="text-decoration: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Máxima Acuña</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, a 2016 recipient of the prestigious </span><a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/meet-the-2016-goldman-environmental-prize-winners-1891116850.html" style="text-decoration: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Goldman Environmental Prize</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, was reportedly attacked at her home in Peru when hitmen illegally entered the property. Máxima</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> was awarded the 2016 Goldman Prize for her fight against the expansion of the Yanacocha Mine, a subsidiary of Colorado-based mining giant</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Newmont</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> and Peruvian-based mining company Buenaventura. The hitmen that attacked Máxima and her partner, Jaime Chaupe, were </span><a href="http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Peru-Maxima-Acuna-and-Partner-Attacked-by-Mining-Firms-Guards-20160918-0018.html" target="blank" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration: none;">reportedly hired by the <b>mining companies</b></a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>.</b>([ also honduras)</span></font></div><div><div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></b></div></div></div></div><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">see also conflict minerals;</font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></font></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://www.democracynow.org/2016/6/28/headlines/report_finds_surge_in_dark_money_at_state_and_local_level">http://www.democracynow.org/2016/6/28/headlines/report_finds_surge_in_dark_money_at_state_and_local_level</a></font></p><p><span style="letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 27px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">A new report has found a surge in the use of dark money donations at the state and local levels. The <b>Brennan Center finds secret spending at the local level</b> increased in recent years, in part because of so-called gray money from organizations funneling money through other groups in order to conceal where it’s coming from. Examples of local spending on races include "Mining companies secretly targeting a legislator who opposed permits.</span> Food companies battling a ballot measure to add labeling requirements. Payday lenders supporting an attorney general who promised to shield them from regulation." Because of the lower cost of state and local elections, such donations can have an even bigger impact.</font></span></p><p><font face="Times New Roman" size="4" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; line-height: 29.124px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="line-height: 29.124px;"><a href="http://thinkprogress.org/world/2016/05/28/3782221/democratic-republic-congo-mining-deals/" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none;">http://thinkprogress.org/world/2016/05/28/3782221/democratic-republic-congo-mining-deals/</a></span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">
</font></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In <span style="line-height: 1.6em;"> </span><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the vast majority of people live in extreme poverty, earning only around $</span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-23-poorest-countries-in-the-world-2015-7" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; outline: none; line-height: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">400 a year.</a><span style="line-height: 1.6em;"> </span><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">The country is reeling from instability, hunger, and disease. One in seven children</span><span style="line-height: 1.6em;"> </span><a href="http://www.unicef.org/wcaro/Countries_1749.html" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; outline: none; line-height: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">dies</a><span style="line-height: 1.6em;"> </span><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">before they turn 5 years old. And more than</span><span style="line-height: 1.6em;"> </span><a href="http://www.enoughproject.org/news/companies-file-third-round-conflict-minerals-reports-sec-government-agencies-must-follow-throug" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: inherit; outline: none; line-height: inherit; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">5.4 million people</a><span style="line-height: 1.6em;"> </span><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">have died since 1993 because of armed conflict. But the issues plaguing Congolese citizens are in sharp contrast to the country’s wealth. The DRC sits on untapped, raw mineral ores worth $24 trillion — money that isn’t directly benefiting the people who live there.</span></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></p><p><a href="http://www.globalpossibilities.org/owner-of-mine-that-spilled-toxic-waste-into-a-colorado-river-compares-the-epa-to-rapists/"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">http://www.globalpossibilities.org/owner-of-mine-that-spilled-toxic-waste-into-a-colorado-river-compares-the-epa-to-rapists/</font></a></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">stafford beer history, copper still nationalized chile</font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilean_nationalization_of_copper" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none;">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilean_nationalization_of_copper</a></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">morgan guggenheim kaiser al </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">peabody coal axis of evil</span></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="http://www.library.hbs.edu/hc/lehman/company.html?company=kennecott_copper_corporation" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">http://www.library.hbs.edu/hc/lehman/company.html?company=kennecott_copper_corporation</font></a></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNWotZppGPk" style="text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold; outline: none;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNWotZppGPk</a></font></p><p style="margin-top: 8px; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">http://www.alternet.org/guatemalas-indigenous-people-fighting-back-against-exploitation-multinational-mining-companies  cda</font></p><p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">==</font>

<strong><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Action Increases the Cost of Business and Stops Harmful Projects</font></strong>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Recent studies show that protest can have a big impact on corporations. The study, “Costs of Company-Community Conflict in the Extractive Sector,” published in in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences included a special report entitled:  “Conflict translates environmental and social risk into business costs.”  “Communities are not powerless,” co-author Daniel Franks who is deputy director of the Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining writes “our study shows they can organize and mobilize, which results in substantial costs to companies.”</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Around the world protests against mining, extraction and oil are<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.popularresistance.org/conflict-with-local-communities-hits-mining-and-oil-companies-where-it-hurts/" style="text-decoration: none;">costing companies billions of dollars a year</a>. According to the report, one corporation alone reported a six billion dollar cost over a two-year period. A Canadian gold mining company lost $5.4 billion over a decade of protests, never extracted any gold and the project was suspended by court order.  Protests also forced a copper mining project to suspend operations. Protests are delaying the KXL pipeline and many others. People power is real and has real world impacts that can defeat extraction industries.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><b style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">The National Mining Association</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">,</span></b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> which represents large coal companies such as</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> Peabody Coal Co, Arch Coal Inc, Alpha Natural Resources and Cloud Peak Energy Inc., “has spent $1 million on a radio and digital campaign in five states depicting shocked consumers opening expensive electricity bills</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">,” Reuters</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </span><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/28/us-usa-climatechange-industry-analysis-idUSKBN0E80CP20140528" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: underline;">reported</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">. The advertisements claim that electricity bills will jump by 80 percent as a result of the Obama administration’s proposal to limit carbon pollution from new coal and natural gas plants, something the Washington Post’s Fact Checker</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </span><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/wp/2014/05/23/a-bogus-claim-that-electricity-prices-will-nearly-double-because-of-clean-coal-technology/" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: underline;">recently said</a><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">was “wholly unsupported” and reliant on “bogus, hyped evidence to make its claim.”</span></font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The NMA has<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/04/22/3429463/final-coal-dust-rules-black-lung-disease/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: underline;">spoken out</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>against new coal dust regulations aimed at reducing cases of black lung disease in coal miners, claiming the administration’s long-awaited rule is unnecessary and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/2012/08/17/10712/gao-report-supports-science-behind-black-lung-rule" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: underline;">criticizing</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>multiple studies that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) determined were sound. The NMA also intervened in a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/02/22/3320911/mountaintop-removal-mining-stream-buffer-rule/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: underline;">recent court decision</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>to restore a law overturned by the Bush administration designed to keep toxic coal mining spoil from entering sensitive waterways,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.eenews.net/stories/1059994937" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: underline;">saying</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>they found the ruling “obviously very disappointing.”</font>

<span class="group" style=" box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span class="entrytag" style=" box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/salmon/" sl-processed="1" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; display: inline;">Salmon</a> </span><span class="entrytag" style=" box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/gold-mining/" sl-processed="1" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; display: inline;">Gold Mining</a>  </span><span class="entrytag" style=" box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/Pebble-Mine-Project/" sl-processed="1" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; display: inline;">Pebble Mine Project</a>  </span><span class="entrytag" style=" box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/copper-mining/" sl-processed="1" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; display: inline;">Copper Mining</a>  </span><span class="entrytag" style=" box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/Bristol-Bay-mining/" sl-processed="1" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; display: inline;">Bristol Bay Mining</a>  </span><span class="entrytag" style=" box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/Gina-McCarthy/" sl-processed="1" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; display: inline;">Gina McCarthy</a>  </span></font></span></div><div class="follow" data-beacon="{" p="p" mnid="mnid" follow_tags="follow_tags" style=" box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both;"><span class="group" style=" box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span class="entrytag" style=" box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/Bristol-Bay/" sl-processed="1" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; display: inline;">Bristol Bay</a>   </span><span class="entrytag" style=" box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/environmental-protection-agency/" sl-processed="1" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; display: inline;">Environmental Protection Agency</a>   </span><span class="entrytag" style=" box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/sockeye-salmon/" sl-processed="1" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; display: inline;">Sockeye Salmon</a>   </span><span class="entrytag" style=" box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/pebble-mine/" sl-processed="1" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; display: inline;">Pebble Mine</a> </span><span class="entrytag" style=" box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/alaska/" sl-processed="1" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; display: inline;">Alaska</a>  </span><span class="entrytag" style=" box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/pebble-mine-alaska/" sl-processed="1" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; display: inline;">Pebble Mine Alaska</a>  </span><span class="entrytag" style=" box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/fisheries/" sl-processed="1" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; display: inline;">Fisheries</a>  </span><span class="entrytag" style=" box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/EPA-pebble-mine/" sl-processed="1" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; display: inline;">EPA Pebble Mine</a> </span><span class="entrytag" style=" box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/Green/" sl-processed="1" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-weight: bold; display: inline;">Green News</a></span></font></span></div>

</header>

<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; direction: ltr; font-weight: normal; line-height: 21px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">WASHINGTON –- The Environmental Protection Agency announced Friday that it is beginning a process that could block a massive proposed gold mine in Alaska from being built.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Pebble Mine is a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2013/05/epa-alaska-pebble-mine-gold-copper" sl-processed="1" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">proposed open-pit copper and gold mine</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>that could be up to 2 miles long, a mile and a half wide, and 1,700 feet deep -- the largest of its type in North America. The proposed site for the mine is at the headwaters of the Nushagak and Kvichak rivers, which feed into the Bristol Bay. It is the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world, producing nearly half of the world's wild sockeye.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The EPA said Friday that it is invoking Clean Water Act protections that would stop its construction, citing concerns about the threat it poses to the bay and the fish that depend on it. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said that the agency is taking the step to "ensure that the world's most productive salmon fishery is safe from the risks it faces from what could be one of the largest mines on Earth" in a call with reporters Friday afternoon.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">McCarthy cited threats to the region's multimillion-dollar fishing industry, as well as to native cultures that rely on the bay. The agency released a scientific assessment of the bay and proposed mine in mid-January, which McCarthy said provided "ample reason for EPA to believe that a mine of the size and scope of Pebble Mine would have significant and irreversible impacts on Bristol Bay."</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">This is only the beginning of a process that is expected to take a year to finalize. It doesn't mean that the EPA would ultimately reject the permit application, as it explained in a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-02/documents/bristol-bay-15day-letter-2-28-2014.pdf" sl-processed="1" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">letter to the Pebble Mine Limited Partnership</a>, which is seeking to build the mine. But it sets up a process by which the agency could eventually do that. There will be public hearings and a comment period before the agency issues a final decision.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Invoking protection under<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/guidance/cwa/dredgdis/404c_index.cfm" sl-processed="1" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Section 404(c) of the Clean Water Act</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is rare; the agency has only used it<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/guidance/wetlands/404c.cfm" sl-processed="1" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">13 times since 1972</a>. The EPA has invoked its 404(c) authority before a company formally applied for a permit only one other time. "This is not something that the agency does very often, but the Bristol Bay fishery is an extraordinary resource and is worthy of out-of-the-ordinary agency action to protect it," said McCarthy.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Both McCarthy and EPA Region 10 administrator Dennis McLerran emphasized that the Bristol Bay situation is "unique" and "extraordinary."</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">For groups that petitioned the EPA to block the mine, Friday's announcement was a big win.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"This is a great day," said Shoren Brown, executive director of Bristol Bay United, a coalition of Alaska native, commercial and sport fishermen. "I'm shocked and, at the same time, this is the way the system is supposed to work. The EPA did the science and came to a clear conclusion that Pebble Mine is going to have huge and long-lasting impact."</font></p>

</div>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Bristol Bay is home to 190 species of birds, more than 40 species of land mammals and 35 species of fish, including sockeye, Chinook and pink salmon.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The bay's famous salmon fishery produces around 46 percent of the sockeye salmon consumed throughout the world; commercial harvests average 27.5 million fish a year.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Its salmon industry provides jobs to 14,000 workers and supports the traditional subsistence lifestyle of more than 4,000 Native Americans, for whom salmon is the "foundation for their language, spirituality, and social structure," according to the EPA.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Backed by Northern Dynasty Minerals, the proposed mine would be dug at the headwaters of the Bristol Bay salmon fishery at the Pebble deposit, which is rich in copper, gold and molybdenum, according to an <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.courthousenews.com/2014/01/17/EPAStatement.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;">EPA fact sheet </a>.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The area could produce 11 billion metric tons of ore, which would make it the largest North American mine of its kind....</font>

<a href="http://www.alternet.org/print/news-amp-politics/copper-mine-could-destroy-worlds-largest-wild-salmon-run"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">http://www.alternet.org/print/news-amp-politics/copper-mine-could-destroy-worlds-largest-wild-salmon-run</font></a>

<h4 style="font-weight: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-style: normal; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.25em; border: 0px; line-height: 1.15em; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/09/20/2656431/house-republicans-help-mining/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">In The Midst Of The Budget Battle, Congress Is Handing Out Favors To The Mining Industry</font></a></h4>

<p class="timestamp" style="font-weight: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-style: normal; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline; text-transform: uppercase;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">BY JESSICA GOAD, GUEST BLOGGER ON</span> SEPTEMBER 20, 2013</font>

<a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/09/20/2656431/house-republicans-help-mining/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">With one week to go until a potential government shutdown, the House of Representatives moves to help mining companies bypass environmental rules.</font></a>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">With reports that the Republican party is in a state of “<a href="http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2013/09/18/2646991/republican-civil-war-breaks-twitter/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">civil war</a>” over whether to shut down the government and default on the nation’s debts as part of its <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/13/tim-huelskamp-obamacare-repeal_n_3921960.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">42nd effort to defund Obamacare</a>, House Republicans are in clear agreement on at least one thing: giving mining and timber companies a sweetheart deal on publicly-owned resources and exempting them from environmental laws.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">By several measures, the mining industry already enjoys the benefits of friendly laws and environmental loopholes. Under the </span><a href="http://www.earthworksaction.org/issues/detail/general_mining_law_of_1872" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">General Mining Law of 1872</a><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, for example, mining companies pay no royalties on the gold, silver, copper, and other taxpayer-owned minerals that they extract from taxpayer-owned public lands. </span><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">And the industry is <a href="http://www.earthworksaction.org/files/publications/FACTSHEET_Mining-industry-exploits-clean-water-act-loopholes.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">exempt from portions</a> of environmental laws like the Clean Water Act.</span></font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">And yet, these facts didn’t stop National Mining Association — which spent nearly <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000308" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">$5 million on lobbying</a> last year alone — CEO Hal Quinn from <a href="http://www.eenews.net/eedaily/stories/1059987504/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">complaining</a> that the industry:</font></p>

<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0.4em 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">…remain[s] burdened by an antiquated and duplicative permitting system that discourages investment and jeopardizes the growth of downstream industries, related jobs and technological innovation that depend on a secure and reliable mineral supply chain.</font></p>

</blockquote>

<p style="font-weight: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-style: normal; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0.4em 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 24.75px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">One of the bills, which will likely be up for a vote next week, is the </span><a href="http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-113hr687rh/pdf/BILLS-113hr687rh.pdf" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act of 2013</a><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> (H.R. 687). It would require the U.S. Forest Service to</span><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);"> trade publicly-owned forest lands that contain a major copper deposit for certain private lands owned by the Resolution Copper Mining company, a subsidiary of <a href="http://resolutioncopper.com/about-us/the-company/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">multinational mining conglomerates</a> Rio Tinto and BHP-Billiton.</span></font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The bill not only gives away taxpayer-owned copper deposits to a private company, but it also <a href="http://azstarnet.com/business/delay-of-environmental-study-crux-of-resolution-copper-debate-opponents/article_ac1ab2fc-a4c6-5ed3-a077-3416f7fbf9e9.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">bypasses</a> the standard requirement that the federal government analyze the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of land exchanges under the National Environmental Policy Act.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">H.R. 687 is strongly opposed by rock climbers whose </span><a href="http://azstarnet.com/business/delay-of-environmental-study-crux-of-resolution-copper-debate-opponents/article_ac1ab2fc-a4c6-5ed3-a077-3416f7fbf9e9.html" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">access to the recreation areas</a><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> would be lost by the privatization, as well as </span><a href="http://www.eacourier.com/news/tribe-kirkpatrick-clash-over-resolution-copper/article_0b871794-1ca2-11e3-bfef-0019bb2963f4.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Native American tribes</a><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> who have sacred sites on the land.</span></font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The second bill, the <a href="http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-113hr761rh/pdf/BILLS-113hr761rh.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2013</a> (H.R. 761) passed the House on Wednesday night and gives the mining industry several new shortcuts around environmental protections. It would allow federal agencies, for example, to declare that a proposed mining project does not constitute “<a href="http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/sslesinger/house_republicans_riding_rough.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">a major federal action</a>” and therefore permit applications would not need to be subjected to environmental review and public comment. It also places an <a href="http://naturalresources.house.gov/legislation/hr761/" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">arbitrary deadline</a> of 30 months on any permitting decisions regardless of the size of the project or controversy.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Mining interests aren’t the only ones getting a great deal in the House this week. The chamber today is also debating the <a href="http://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20130916/CPRT-113-HPRT-RU00-HR1526.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act</a> (H.R. 1526) which would — for the first time ever — legislatively mandate levels of logging in national forests. The Obama administration has threatened to veto the bill, saying that it would not only “undermine appropriate management and stewardship of these lands which belong to all Americans,” but would “<a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/legislative/sap/113/saphr1526r_20130918.pdf" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">increase litigation risk</a>.”</font>

<span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="">Jessica Goad is the Manager of Research and Outreach for the Public Lands Project at the Center for American Progress.</font></span>

<h1 class="print-title" style="font-weight: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-style: normal;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">WI Senate Fast-Tracks Bill To Close Forest to Benefit Out-of-State Mining Firm</font></h1>

<div class="meta" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="submitted"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">by <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/users/35310/alex-oberley" title="View user profile.">Alex Oberley</a> <span class="print-footnote">[1]</span> — September 11, 2013 - 8:29am</font></span></div>

<ul>

<li class="vocabulary-2"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Topics: <span class="term-76"><a href="http://www.prwatch.org/topics/politics/right-wing">Right Wing</a> <span class="print-footnote">[2]</span></span>, <span class="term-59"><a href="http://www.prwatch.org/topics/corporations">Corporations</a> <span class="print-footnote">[3]</span></span>, <span class="term-4"><a href="http://www.prwatch.org/topics/environment">Environment</a> <span class="print-footnote">[4]</span></span></font></li>

</ul>

</div>

<div class="content clearfix" style=""><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a class="da2a_button" href="http://www.addtoany.com/share_save?linkurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.prwatch.org%2Fnews%2F2013%2F09%2F12234%2Fwi-senate-fast-tracks-bill-close-forest-benefit-out-state-mining-firm&linkname=WI%20Senate%20Fast-Tracks%20Bill%20To%20Close%20Forest%20to%20Benefit%20Out-of-State%20Mining%20Firm%20" id="da2a_1"><img brain="false" src="http://www.prwatch.org/sites/all/modules/addtoany/images/share_16_16.png" width="16" height="16" alt="Share/Save" style=" border: 0px;" /> Share this</a> <span class="print-footnote">[5]</span>

</font><p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">A controversial out-of-state mining company is closer to gaining control over a 3,600-acre swath of publicly available forest near where it is planning a massive open-pit iron ore mine in Northern Wisconsin. The Florida firm, Gogebic Taconite, has begun test drilling in the area and has already stirred controversy by hiring out-of-state armed security with automatic assault weapons to guard their activities. The Arizona firm was kicked out of the state after the media uncovered they were not licensed here. Now Gogebic Taconite is attempting to shut down whole forests to keep its controversial mining activities from protestors and curious eyes.</font>

<span class="image-caption-container image-caption-container-" style=" display: block; float: right; margin: 5px; width: 225px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><img src="/ef4695b6-f0d5-5bf9-aa3c-3d8e610d421b.jpg"/></font><span class="image-caption" style=" display: block;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Armed guards from AZ Bulletproof Securities in WI (source: The UpTake)</font></span></span><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The Wisconsin Senate Committee on Workforce Development, Forestry, Mining, and Revenue passed <a href="https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2013/proposals/sb278">Senate Bill 278</a> <span class="print-footnote">[6]</span>, which would give Gogebic Taconite the right to close the forest for up to 18 months, on a party line 3-2 vote in a hurried executive session last week. The bill is headed to the full Senate, when it reconvenes later this month.</font></p>

<h2 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><strong><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Managed Forests Would Be Closed to Hunting, Fishing, and Winter Recreation

</font></strong></h2>

<p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The land in contention has been enrolled in the state's <a href="http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/ForestLandowners/openToPublic.html">Managed Forest Law</a> <span class="print-footnote">[7]</span> program. Wisconsin has long encouraged landowners to maintain open and accessible forests with tax breaks. Managed forest land is used by thousands of Wisconsinites across the state, and most specifically in the vast North Woods, for hunting, fishing, hiking, sight-seeing, and cross-country skiing. The bill rushed through the Senate committee last week would turnover public access decisions to the firm.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Another option the firm has is to withdraw the land from the managed forest program, but then the company would lose its tax break, costing it some $477,000 in back taxes and a higher tax rate in the future.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"The bottom line is that they are about to shut off thousands of acres of land that is not being mined any time in the near future," with a goal, "to limit recreational activity and give a special benefit to one company alone," said Democratic Senator Bob Jauch.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Proponents of the bill say it is needed because of a June incident when a small group of protesters confronted company staff, shouting obscenities. The incident led to criminal charges against a Stevens Point woman for theft of a camera. Committee chair Republican Senator Tom Tiffany started the hearing with video of <a href="http://wsau.com/news/articles/2013/jul/16/woman-charged-with-role-in-gogebic-taconite-mine-protester-incident">mining protesters</a> <span class="print-footnote">[8]</span>. He repeatedly invoked the specter of "eco-terrorism" during the five-hour hearing.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">In response to the June 11 incident, the company hired an</span><b style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Arizona-based </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">private security firm, <a href="http://www.bulletproofsecurities.com/" style="">Bulletproof Securities</a></span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </span></b><span class="print-footnote" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><b>[9</b>]</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">. Bulletproof employees created a stir when they were spotted incamouflage and masks with automatic assault weapons in hand. The firm was ultimately </span><a href="http://www.twincities.com/politics/ci_23832639/wisconsin-officials-didnt-check-mine-security-firms-licensure" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">removed from the site</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </span><span class="print-footnote" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">[10]</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> for not securing a license to operate in Wisconsin.</span><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Bob Seitz, the Gogebic lobbyist, said the firm has spent nearly a half-million dollars on <a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/scott-walkers-aide-others-notified-by-security-firm-of-plans-for-mine-site-b9972362z1-219035771.html">Bulletproof</a> <span class="print-footnote">[11]</span> so far, </b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">and was ready to spend much more. If Gogebic Taconite secures permission for further sampling of mineral deposits, the security firm may </span><a href="http://www.wisconsinwatch.org/2013/07/09/paramilitary-style-guards-are-going-to-stay-mining-company-vows/" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">return</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </span><span class="print-footnote" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">[12]</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">.</span></font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Al Gedicks, a professor emeritus of environmental sociology at UW-La Crosse, testified at the hearing yesterday against the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiX3UBwu2_A">further militarization</a> <span class="print-footnote">[13]</span>of mining activity and resource extraction. Comparing the presence of Bulletproof Security to "psychological warfare," he says the real target is not 15 protesters but growing resistance from 11 Indian tribes and the local communities.</font></p>

<h2 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><strong><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Florida Firm Builds Four Mile Pit in the Penokee Range</font></strong></h2>

<p style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Referred to as "<a href="http://www.backpacker.com/october_1999_destinations_wisconsin_penokee_mountains/destinations/606">The Alps of Wisconsin</a> <span class="print-footnote">[14]</span>," the Penokee Range has long been considered a crown jewel of the state, if not the Midwest. A pristine area with dense forest, rushing streams, and hilly ranges, people visit the area from all over the country.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Gogebic Taconite is </span><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20120501185124/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505244_162-57364890/wis-panel-oks-mining-bill-sends-it-to-assembly" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">based</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </span><span class="print-footnote" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">[15]</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> in Florida and is a subsidiary of the Cline Resource and Development Group o</span><b style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">f </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">West Virginia. Billionaire CEO Chris Cline was heralded as the <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-10-12/new-king-coal.html" style="">"New King Coal"</a> </span><span class="print-footnote" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">[16]</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> by Bloomberg in 2010. </span></b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">After experiencing great windfalls with mountaintop-removal with West Virginia coal-mining, Cline wants to bring those practices to Wisconsin. </span>

<b style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The proposed mine would be the largest in Wisconsin's history, a $1.5 billion open-pit iron ore mine</b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> stretching from Ashland to Iron counties. It would be 4½ miles long and one mile wide. Gogebic Taconite has a $20,000-a-year </span><a href="http://www.northwoodalliance.org/GogebicTaconite/GTAC_Lease_Option.pdf" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">lease option</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </span><span class="print-footnote" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">[17]</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> on the mineral rights of approximately 3,600 acres in the Penokee Range. It has leased the land from RGGS Land & Minerals, LaPointe Iron Company, and Chester Co. Limited, all participants in the Managed Forest Law program. Gogebic Taconite claims it will operate for 35 years there. </span>

Among the opponents to the mining are Wisconsin tribes, who have long been concerned about the hazards posed by this dirty extractive industry to the vital </span><a href="http://www.badriverwatershed.org/index.php/bad-river-watershed" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Bad River watershed</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </span><span class="print-footnote" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">[18]</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">. Gogebic Taconite has </span><a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/mining-company-tells-tribe-to-keep-wetlands-expert-away-from-site-b9982420z1-220849461.html" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">threatened</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </span><span class="print-footnote" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">[19]</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa with legal action if a wetlands expert came on the mining site. Heavy industrial work such as mining is generally prohibited in wetlands; legislators already rewrote state laws earlier this year to allow mining in these ecologically vulnerable areas.</span></font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In March of this year, members of the Lac Courte Oreilles tribe began a <a href="http://www.lco-nsn.gov/mining.php">Treaty Harvest and Education Project</a> <span class="print-footnote">[20]</span>, often referred to as the <a href="http://www.wisconsinwatch.org/2013/08/14/slideshow-inside-the-penokee-harvest-camp">harvest camp</a> <span class="print-footnote">[21]</span>, in the forest near the site of the mine. The camp is both an effort to educate the public about the ecology of the region and part of a legal<a href="http://www.wisconsinwatch.org/2013/07/28/in-penokees-camp-tribes-flex-treaty-muscles-to-block-mine/" target="_blank">strategy</a> <span class="print-footnote">[22]</span> to assert treaty rights. 

“The water is sacred to our people and vitally important to the survival of the all the people in Northern Wisconsin. Tribal members depend on clean, healthy water to meet their physical, social, cultural, economic, and spiritual needs. Any activity, mining or otherwise, that threatens those resources must be the subject of careful and thorough scrutiny, including input from all aspects of Wisconsin, so a proper healthy decision can be made," states Lac Courte Oreilles Chairman Gordon Thayer. 

Senator Tiffany claims the harvest camp will not be affected and they will respect native tribes' sovereignty. Yet on the radio recently he denounced the harvest camp as a "squatters' camp."</font></p>

<h2 style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><strong><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Gogebic Taconite Continues to Write WI Law

</font></strong></h2>

<span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Senator Tiffany repeatedly made clear during the public hearing this is a "narrowly designed bill," essentially written solely on Gogebic Taconite's behalf.</span> <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news/2012/02/11309/wisconsin-gop-attempts-ram-through-special-interest-mining-bill" target="blank">CMD has reported previously</a> <span class="print-footnote">[23]</span>, that the original bill permitting the iron ore mine and exempted Gogebic Taconite from major provisions of Wisconsin's environmental laws, appeared to be written by the company itself, a claim confirmed <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfUX0bkCbyg" target="blank">by Senate leadership</a> <span class="print-footnote">[24]</span>. Tiffany repeatedly looked at Gogebic Taconite's lobbyist Bob Seitz as questions were raised that he could not answer about the bill.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">CMD has reported that "grassroots" support for the mine has come chiefly from out-of-state Republican political organizations including <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news/2013/01/11956/americans-prosperity-provides-grassroots-controversial-wisconsin-mining-bill" target="blank">David Koch's Americans for Prosperity</a> <span class="print-footnote">[25]</span> and <a href="http://www.prwatch.org/news/2012/02/11309/wisconsin-gop-attempts-ram-through-special-interest-mining-bill" target="blank">Club for Growth.</a> <span class="print-footnote">[23]</span></font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span style=" background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">All Republican members on the Senate Committee on Workforce Development, Forestry, Mining, and Revenue have received<a href="http://www.wisdc.org/pr012813.php">significant campaign donations from the mining industry</a></span> <span class="print-footnote">[26]</span>. Mine supporters contributed <a href="http://www.wisdc.org/pr012813.php">$15.6 million in total</a> <span class="print-footnote">[26]</span> to Scott Walker and the Republican-controlled Legislature, reports the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. Those contributions outweighed environmental groups opposing mining deregulation by a $610 to $1 ratio, with 79 percent of the contributions going to Republicans.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"This legislation has nothing to do with mining or job creation. It is simply a brazen act of selfishness by one out-of-state company whose owner continually demonstrates insensitivity to the neighboring communities and is too cheap to pay his responsible share like any other citizen in the managed forest land," said Senator Jauch.</font></p>

</div>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">MODERN GOLD RUSH?</b><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">: An ounce of gold is now worth $1,675; gold mines long abandoned in the U.S. have creaked back to life. And on Capitol Hill, the nation's mining companies have been parting with some of their riches as they navigate around environmental, trade and other issues that affect their profitability.</span>

<span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 102);"><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientsum.php?id=D000021995&year=2012" style="">Freeport-McMoRan</a> is a strong Republican supporter, </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">contributing more than $500,000 to federal candidates in the last election. Sen. </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00009573&cycle=2012" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Jeff Flake</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> (R-Ariz.) saw the best of the spoils, with $61,000 in contributions from Phoenix-based Freeport employees and </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgot.php?cycle=2012&cmte=C00320101" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">its PAC</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">. Texas Republican </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/alsorun.php?cid=N00033445&cycle=2012" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">David Dewhurst</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, who lost in the primary to freshman Sen. </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00033085&newmem=Y" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Ted Cruz</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, got $45,000, and Sen. </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00027522&cycle=2012" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Dean Heller </a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">(R-Nev.) and House Speaker </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00003675&cycle=2012" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">John Boehner</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> (R-Ohio) each received $20,000. Freeport gave GOP presidential nominee </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/candidate.php?id=N00000286" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Mitt Romney</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> $14,100.</span>

Heller was also one of Newmont Mining's favorite candidates, receiving $20,250 from Newmont employees and </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.php?strID=C00206672&cycle=2012" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">its PAC</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, of a total $337,354 in combined contributions to candidates in the last election. Rep. </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00031177&cycle=2012" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Mark Amodei</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> (R-Nev.) followed closely behind with $19,000, then Sen. </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00004645&cycle=2012" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Denny Rehberg</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> (R-Mont.) with $15,500, and Nevada Reps. </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00031244&cycle=2012" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Joe Heck</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> (R) with $16,000 and </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00030191&cycle=Career" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Dina Titus </a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">(D) with $15,000.</span>

According to Newmont's website, </span><a target="blank" href="http://www.newmont.com/our-investors/press-releases/2011/02032011" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Nevada presents a huge opportunity for growth for the company</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">.The company already owns 2 million acres of land in the state and </span><a target="blank" href="http://www.newmont.com/our-investors/press-releases/2011/02032011" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">operates 11 mines and nine process facilities there</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">. In 2010, Newmont produced 1.7 million ounces of gold from Nevada mines, which accounted for almost a third of its annual gold production. At today's prices, that would be worth $2.85 trillion.</span>

Nevada-based </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Barrick Gold </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">and </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.php?strID=C00320580&cycle=2012" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">its PAC favored</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> the same Nevada lawmakers last year as Freeport and Newmont did, contributing $279,700 to federal campaigns -- including $20,000 each to Heller, Titus, and Sen. </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00009818&cycle=2012" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Shelley Berkley</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> (D-Nev.), as well as $25,500 to Amodei and $20,250 to Heller.</span>

But the Nevada lawmakers themselves aren't invested in gold. The direct dividends of a potential gold rush would go to a bipartisan group of lawmakers from around the country, according to disclosure statements covering the year 2011: Rep. </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/CIDsummary.php?CID=N00030071&year=2011" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Kurt Schrader</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> (D-Ore.) and Sen. </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/CIDsummary.php?CID=N00029617&year=2011" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Kay Hagan</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> (D-N.C.) own shares worth between $1,000 and $15,000 in both Freeport-McMoRan and Newmont Mining. Boehner and Sen. </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/CIDsummary.php?CID=N00031688&year=2011" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">John Hoeven</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> (R-N.D.) </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?cycle=2012&id=D000021995#invested" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">own shares in Freeport-McMoRan</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> valued at between $15,000 to $50,000. Sen. </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/CIDsummary.php?CID=N00000362&year=2011" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Jack Reed</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> (D-R.I.) and Reps. </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/CIDsummary.php?CID=N00027565&year=2011" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">John Campbell</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> (R-Calif.) and </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/CIDsummary.php?CID=N00004133&year=2011" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Fred Upton</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> (R-Mich.) own shares worth between $1,000 and $15,000. Sen. </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/CIDsummary.php?CID=N00004643&year=2011" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Max Baucus</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> (D-Mont.) owns up to $2,000 in Freeport stock.</span>

Others </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000027988#invested" style=""><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">own shares in </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Newmont Mining</span></a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">. Sen. </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/CIDsummary.php?CID=N00004207&year=2011" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Tom Harkin</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> (D-Iowa) and Reps. </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/CIDsummary.php?CID=N00013131&year=2011" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Eric Cantor</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> (R-Va.) and </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/CIDsummary.php?CID=N00001024&year=2011" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Nita Lowey</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> (D-N.Y.) own shares valued at between $15,000 and $50,000. Rep. </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/CIDsummary.php?CID=N00031412&year=2011" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Mick Mulvaney</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> (R-S.C.) has stock worth between $16,000 and $65,000, and Rep. </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/CIDsummary.php?CID=N00003467&year=2011" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Ed Whitfield</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> (R-Ky.) owns shares that are worth $1,000 to $15,000.</span>

Of America's top mining companies, only </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientsum.php?id=D000021995&year=2012" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Freeport-McMoRan</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> increased its lobbying budget last year -- to $360,000 from $190,000 in 2011. That's still nothing compared to its $1.5 million lobbying spending in 2008, but these days </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientissues.php?id=D000021995&year=2012" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Freeport is worried about tax reform</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">, water settlement legislation related to Native American affairs, and trade tariffs. Last year it lobbied on Brazilian import tariffs on molybdenum and Russian export tariffs.</span>

<a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientsum.php?id=D000027988&year=2012" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Newmont Mining spent $920,000 lobbying</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> on hard rock mining, the Mercury Export Ban Act and the taxation of mercury storage in 2012. </span><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientsum.php?id=D000045868&year=2012" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Barrick Gold</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> spent $275,000 to lobby mining issues and reimbursement for reclaiming uranium mills.</span></font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">==

 </font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">David Koch’s Americans for Prosperity (AFP) chapter in Wisconsin is throwing its support behind a proposed mine in the state's far North. A mining bill -- almost identical to the one that failed last year in the Wisconsin State Senate -- was reintroduced this week in the state legislature. What changed? Republicans picked up two more Senate seats in 2012, which may give mining supporters the slim margin they need.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">suppressed report on diesel  <a href="http://www.republicreport.org/2012/lobbying-diesel-exhaust/">http://www.republicreport.org/2012/lobbying-diesel-exhaust/</a></font>

<div class="post-meta" style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Posted by <a href="http://www.republicreport.org/author/lee-fang/" title="Posts by Lee Fang" rel="author">Lee Fang</a></font></div>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://cdn.republicreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/pattonboggs.png"> </a>High-powered businessmen and lawyers conspiring to suppress government reports about how pollutants cause cancer for potentially thousands of workers — it sounds like a throwback to the tobacco wars, or something in the movies. But this type of thing happens every day in Washington, D.C. in ways that are often obscured from the public and the press.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Earlier this month, a major government study was <a href="http://cancer.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/2012/DieselMinersPressRelease">released</a> that shows that diesel exhaust causes lung cancer among miners. According to Nature <a href="http://blogs.nature.com/news/2012/03/embattled-scientists-publish-miner-cancer-study.html">magazine</a>, the study identifies “sharply higher cancer rates in workers exposed to high levels of diesel exhaust.”</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">This landmark study had been suppressed for two decades; a ruling from the US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals finally allowed its release. Although the study had been in the works since the early nineties, mining interests hired a small army of lobbyists to prevent the study from ever seeing the light of day.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Industry groups used a myriad of strategies to try to snuff out the science on diesel exhausts:</font></p>

<p><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">– Mining interests <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/client_reports.php?id=D000053817&year=2011">formed</a> the “<strong>Mining Awareness Resource Group</strong>,” a front that <a href="http://www.scientificintegrityinstitute.org/iWN020612.pdf">deployed</a> the K Street lobbying firm <strong>Patton Boggs</strong> to argue in court against the release of the study. The effort tied the study up in courts for years.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">– Mining lobbyists recruited <strong>Congressmen John Kline (MN) and Tim Walberg (MI)</strong> to pressure government agencies to share the results of the study with industry groups and Congress instead of the public. See the lawmakers’ letter to the National Cancer Institute <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/289176-kline-walberg-letter-to-niosh.html">here</a>.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">– The <strong>Engine Manufacturers Association</strong>, a lobbying association, in a brazen attempt to politicize the science, <a href="http://www.scientificintegrityinstitute.org/iWN020612.pdf">pressured</a> Congress to review the study and authorize its publication before it could be released.</font></p>

</blockquote>

<p style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">John Morris, a reporter for the Center for Public Integrity, has <a href="http://www.scientificintegrityinstitute.org/iWN020612.pdf">chronicled</a> the lobbying battle over the diesel exhaust study.</font>

<a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/elements/2006/01/04/in_depth_us/timeline1177134.shtml"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">http://www.cbsnews.com/elements/2006/01/04/in_depth_us/timeline1177134.shtml</font></a>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="">"<a href="http://mcconnell.senate.gov/" style="font-style: normal;">Mitch McConnell</a> calls me one of the five finest men in America, and last time I checked he was sleeping with your boss," Murray told the inspectors, referring to the senior GOP senator from Kentucky. The quote was repeated in an Oct. 2006 Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader <a href="http://www.kentucky.com/233/story/11062.html" style="font-style: normal;">article</a> on McConnell's political influence.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">McConnell - <a href="http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/senators/a_three_sections_with_teasers/leadership.htm">the Republican leader in the Senate</a> - is married to <a href="http://www.dol.gov/_sec/aboutosec/chao.htm">Labor Secretary Elaine Chao</a>, who oversees <a href="http://www.msha.gov/">MSHA</a>. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, McConnell has received <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/indus.asp?CID=N00003389&cycle=2006">$176,800 in campaign donations</a> from mining interests since 2001.</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">The <b>National Mining Association</b> (NMA) is the national trade organization of the U.S. mining industry which "represents the interests of mining before Congress, the Administration, federal agencies, the judiciary and the media." <sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#cite_note-0" title="">[1]</a></sup></font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">It is represented by the public affairs firm <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Democracy_Data%26_Communications,LLC_%28DDC%29" title="Democracy Data & Communications, LLC (DDC)">Democracy Data & Communications, LLC (DDC)</a>.</font></p>

<h2><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Contents</font></h2></div>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#Ramping_up_lobbying_efforts"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Ramping up lobbying efforts</span></font></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#Partnering_with_Scholastic_Books"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Partnering with Scholastic Books</span></font></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#Lobbyists"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Lobbyists</span></font></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#Political_action_committees"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Political action committees</span></font></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#Members"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Members</span></font></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#SourceWatch_resources"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">SourceWatch resources</span></font></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#External_links"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">External links</span></a>

</font><ul>

<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#References"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">7.1</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></font></a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#Articles"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000"><span class="tocnumber">7.2</span> <span class="toctext">Articles</span></font></a></li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

</td></tr></tbody></table>

<h2 style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Ramping up lobbying efforts</font></span></h2>

<p style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">In September 2007, <i>The Hill</i> reported that NMA was planning to "dramatically increase its lobbying and advertising budget," in response to high-profile mining disasters, increased rates of black lung disease, and concerns about <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Climate_change" title="Climate change">climate change</a>, among other issues. NMA's overall budget is slated to increase from $15.6 million for 2007 to $19.7 million for 2008.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#cite_note-1" title="">[2]</a></sup></font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">NMA was also reported to be increasing its outreach to Democrats. Its two <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Political_action_committee" title="Political action committee">political action committees</a>, COALPAC and MINEPAC, "are moving towards a more even split" between the two major parties, after years of giving nearly 90 percent of its PAC money to Republicans, reported <i>The Hill</i>. NMA is also "looking to add a Democratic consultant to its list of outside lobbyists," which includes the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Alpine_Group" title="Alpine Group">Alpine Group</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Federal_Policy_Group&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Federal Policy Group (page does not exist)">Federal Policy Group</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Washington_Advocates&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Washington Advocates (page does not exist)">Washington Advocates</a> and the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Nickles_Group" title="Nickles Group">Nickles Group</a>. NAM is also hiring four more in-house lobbyists and "two additional regulatory experts."<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#cite_note-2" title="">[3]</a></sup></font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">"Opposition to new coal plants is mounting because they generate greenhouse gases," observed the <i>Washington Post</i> in January 2008. "In Kansas, where a state agency rejected a permit for two proposed coal plants, opinion polls show that roughly two out of three people opposed the plants. That sentiment, plus soaring construction costs and uncertainty about federal climate change legislation, last year prompted U.S. companies to abandon or postpone plans to build dozens of new coal plants." <sup id="cite_ref-WaPoNMA_3-0" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#cite_note-WaPoNMA-3" title="">[4]</a></sup></font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">But "the coal mining industry is fighting back. It increased the budget of the National Mining Association, the industry's main lobbying group, by 20 percent this year, to $19.7 million" for 2008.<sup id="cite_ref-WaPoNMA_3-1" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#cite_note-WaPoNMA-3" title="">[4]</a></sup></font>

<h2 style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Partnering with Scholastic Books</font></span></h2>

<p style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In May 2011, it was reported that the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=American_Coal_Foundation" title="American Coal Foundation">American Coal Foundation</a> paid <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Scholastic" title="Scholastic">Scholastic</a> to help produce and place in grade school classrooms maps and worksheets called the "United States of Energy," with much of the information from the <strong class="selflink">National Mining Association</strong>. One widely distributed chart did not mention damage from mining or pollution. The Coal Foundation had been distributing materials on its own, then partnered with Scholastic so that 66,000 fourth grade teachers received materials to build into lesson plans.</font>

<font size="4" face="Times New Roman">In the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Appalachian" title="Appalachian" class="mw-redirect">Appalachian</a> mining communities of Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia, mining companies sponsor something called CEDAR, Coal Education Development and Resources, which offers teachers booklets and DVDs produced by coal-burning utility <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=AEP" title="AEP" class="mw-redirect">AEP</a> and mining giant <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Peabody_Coal" title="Peabody Coal" class="mw-redirect">Peabody Coal</a>. One emphasizes how Kentucky has benefited from <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Coal_mine_reclamation" title="Coal mine reclamation">coal mine reclamation</a>, with little mention of any negatives of strip mining. And on the issue of coal's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Carbon_dioxide" title="Carbon dioxide">carbon dioxide</a> emissions, CEDAR offers teachers a video, titled "The Greening of Planet Earth" that asserts: "As more and more scientists are confirming, our world is deficient in carbon dioxide and a doubling of atmospheric CO2 is very beneficial."</font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">On May 13, 2011, Scholastic, Inc., issued the following statement regarding its partnership with the American Coal Foundation (emphasis added): "This week, Scholastic came under criticism for an 11" x 16" poster map which displays different sources of energy – coal, nuclear, hydroelectric, solar, wind and natural gas – not so much for the content of the poster but primarily for its sponsorship by the American Coal Foundation. We acknowledge that the mere fact of sponsorship may call into question the authenticity of the information, and therefore conclude that we were not vigilant enough as to the effect of sponsorship in this instance. We have no plans to further distribute this particular program."<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#cite_note-4" title="">[5]</a></sup></font>

<h2 style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Lobbyists</font></span></h2>

<p style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">According to U.S. Senate Office of Public Records filings, NAM has spent $18,840,000 on lobbying, from 1998 to 2004. Lobbying firms and individuals lobbying on behalf of NAM during that time include <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=MGN_Inc&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="MGN Inc (page does not exist)">MGN Inc</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Owen_Frisby&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Owen Frisby (page does not exist)">Owen Frisby</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Environmental_Strategies_Company&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="National Environmental Strategies Company (page does not exist)">National Environmental Strategies Company</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Holland%26_Hart&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Holland & Hart (page does not exist)">Holland & Hart</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=KSG&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="KSG (page does not exist)">KSG</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Lee%26_Smith&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Lee & Smith (page does not exist)">Lee & Smith</a>, the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Alpine_Group" title="Alpine Group">Alpine Group</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Horizons_West&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Horizons West (page does not exist)">Horizons West</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=James_Allen_Wampler&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="James Allen Wampler (page does not exist)">James Allen Wampler</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=The_Allbaugh_Company&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="The Allbaugh Company (page does not exist)">The Allbaugh Company</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Patton_Boggs" title="Patton Boggs">Patton Boggs</a>. <sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#cite_note-5" title="">[6]</a></sup></font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">As of September 2007, NAM's in-house Washington DC lobbyists were, according to the Lobbyists.info online database: <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Karen_Bennett&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Karen Bennett (page does not exist)">Karen Bennett</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Susan_B.Carver&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Susan B. Carver (page does not exist)">Susan B. Carver</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=David_O.Finkenbinder&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="David O. Finkenbinder (page does not exist)">David O. Finkenbinder</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Bradford_V.Frisby&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Bradford V. Frisby (page does not exist)">Bradford V. Frisby</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Daniel_R.Gerkin&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Daniel R. Gerkin (page does not exist)">Daniel R. Gerkin</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Anne_Marie_L.Jacob&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Anne Marie L. Jacob (page does not exist)">Anne Marie L. Jacob</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Craig_F.Montesano&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Craig F. Montesano (page does not exist)">Craig F. Montesano</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Kraig_R.Naasz" title="Kraig R. Naasz">Kraig R. Naasz</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=M.Richardson%22Rich%22_Nolan&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="M. Richardson " rich="rich" nolan="" page="" does="" not="" exist="exist">M. Richardson "Rich" Nolan</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Moya_Phelleps&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Moya Phelleps (page does not exist)">Moya Phelleps</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Luke_Popovich&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Luke Popovich (page does not exist)">Luke Popovich</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Harold_P.Quinn_Jr.&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Harold P. Quinn Jr. (page does not exist)">Harold P. Quinn Jr.</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Carol_Raulston&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Carol Raulston (page does not exist)">Carol Raulston</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Stephanie_Salvagno&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Stephanie Salvagno (page does not exist)">Stephanie Salvagno</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Katie_Sweeney&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Katie Sweeney (page does not exist)">Katie Sweeney</a>, and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Bruce_Watzman&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Bruce Watzman (page does not exist)">Bruce Watzman</a>. <sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#cite_note-6" title="">[7]</a></sup></font>

<h2 style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Political action committees</font></span></h2>

<p style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">In the 2006 election cycle, NAM's "MINEPAC" <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Political_action_committee" title="Political action committee">political action committee</a> gave $223,250 to federal candidates. More than 80% of this money went to Republicans. <sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#cite_note-7" title="">[8]</a></sup></font>

<font face="Times New Roman" size="4">In the 2006 election cycle, NAM's "COALPAC" <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Political_action_committee" title="Political action committee">political action committee</a> gave $424,748 to federal candidates. More than 80% of this money went to Republicans. <sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#cite_note-8" title="">[9]</a></sup></font>

<h2 style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Members</font></span></h2>

<p style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">The NMA lists its current members as including major mining companies, state-based mining associations, and companies that service the mining sector. <sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#cite_note-9" title="">[10]</a></sup></font>

<h2 style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">SourceWatch resources</font></span></h2>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Alliance_for_Energy_and_Economic_Growth" title="Alliance for Energy and Economic Growth"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Alliance for Energy and Economic Growth</font></a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Americans_for_Balanced_Energy_Choices" title="Americans for Balanced Energy Choices" class="mw-redirect"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Americans for Balanced Energy Choices</font></a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Coal-to-Liquids_Coalition" title="Coal-to-Liquids Coalition"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Coal-to-Liquids Coalition</font></a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Dennis_E._Wheeler" title="Dennis E. Wheeler"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Dennis E. Wheeler</font></a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=International_Coal_Group" title="International Coal Group"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">International Coal Group</font></a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Jack_N._Gerard" title="Jack N. Gerard"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Jack N. Gerard</font></a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Kraig_R._Naasz" title="Kraig R. Naasz"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Kraig R. Naasz</font></a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Rich_Nolan" title="Rich Nolan"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Rich Nolan</font></a></li>

</ul>

<h2 style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">External links</font></span></h2>

<h3 style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">References</font></span></h3>

<li id="cite_note-0"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#cite_ref-0" title="">↑</a> National Mining Association, "<a href="http://www.nma.org/about_us/about_us.asp" class="external text" title="http://www.nma.org/about_us/about_us.asp" rel="nofollow">About NMA</a>", accessed September 2007.</font></li>

<li id="cite_note-1"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#cite_ref-1" title="">↑</a> Jim Snyder, "<a href="http://thehill.com/business--lobby/facing-new-threats-mining-industry-undergoes-a-facelift-2007-09-18.html" class="external text" title="http://thehill.com/business--lobby/facing-new-threats-mining-industry-undergoes-a-facelift-2007-09-18.html" rel="nofollow">Facing new threats, mining industry undergoes a facelift</a>," <i>The Hill</i> (Washington DC), September 18, 2007.</font></li>

<li id="cite_note-2"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#cite_ref-2" title="">↑</a> Jim Snyder, "<a href="http://thehill.com/business--lobby/facing-new-threats-mining-industry-undergoes-a-facelift-2007-09-18.html" class="external text" title="http://thehill.com/business--lobby/facing-new-threats-mining-industry-undergoes-a-facelift-2007-09-18.html" rel="nofollow">Facing new threats, mining industry undergoes a facelift</a>," <i>The Hill</i> (Washington DC), September 18, 2007.</font></li>

<li id="cite_note-WaPoNMA-3"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">↑ <sup><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#cite_ref-WaPoNMA_3-0" title="">4.0</a></sup> <sup><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#cite_ref-WaPoNMA_3-1" title="">4.1</a></sup> Steven Mufson, "<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/17/AR2008011702837.html" class="external text" title="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/17/AR2008011702837.html" rel="nofollow">Coal Industry Plugs Into the Campaign</a>," <i>Washington Post</i>, January 18, 2008.</font></li>

<li id="cite_note-4"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#cite_ref-4" title="">↑</a> <a href="http://www.pri.org/arts-entertainment/books/scholastic-distributed-coal-propaganda-in-schools3880.html" class="external text" title="http://www.pri.org/arts-entertainment/books/scholastic-distributed-coal-propaganda-in-schools3880.html" rel="nofollow">"Scholastic distributed coal propaganda in schools"</a> PRI's Living on Earth, May 16, 2011.</font></li>

<li id="cite_note-5"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#cite_ref-5" title="">↑</a> LobbyWatch profile: <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/lobby/profile.aspx?act=clients&year=2003&cl=L002311" class="external text" title="http://www.publicintegrity.org/lobby/profile.aspx?act=clients&year=2003&cl=L002311" rel="nofollow">National Mining Association</a>, Center for Public Integrity, accessed September 18, 2007.</font></li>

<li id="cite_note-6"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#cite_ref-6" title="">↑</a> Lobbyists.info profile: <a href="http://www.lobbyists.info/app/Org_Detail.cfm?Organization_ID=8349&uproc=0" class="external text" title="http://www.lobbyists.info/app/Org_Detail.cfm?Organization_ID=8349&uproc=0" rel="nofollow">National Mining Association</a> (sub req'd), accessed September 18, 2007.</font></li>

<li id="cite_note-7"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#cite_ref-7" title="">↑</a> OpenSecrets.org profile: <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.asp?strID=C00304634&cycle=2006" class="external text" title="http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.asp?strID=C00304634&cycle=2006" rel="nofollow">MINEPAC</a>, Center for Responsive Politics, accessed September 18, 2007.</font></li>

<li id="cite_note-8"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#cite_ref-8" title="">↑</a> OpenSecrets.org profile: <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.asp?strID=C00109819&cycle=2006" class="external text" title="http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.asp?strID=C00109819&cycle=2006" rel="nofollow">COALPAC</a>, Center for Responsive Politics, accessed September 18, 2007.</font></li>

<li id="cite_note-9"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Mining_Association#cite_ref-9" title="">↑</a> "<a href="http://www.nma.org/about_us/memb_directory.asp#anchor_I" class="external text" title="http://www.nma.org/about_us/memb_directory.asp#anchor_I" rel="nofollow">Member Directory</a>", accessed September 2007.</font></li>

</ol>

<h3 style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><span class="mw-headline"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Articles</font></span></h3>

<li><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Jim Snyder, "<a href="http://thehill.com/business--lobby/facing-new-threats-mining-industry-undergoes-a-facelift-2007-09-18.html" class="external text" title="http://thehill.com/business--lobby/facing-new-threats-mining-industry-undergoes-a-facelift-2007-09-18.html" rel="nofollow">Facing new threats, mining industry undergoes a facelift</a>," <i>The Hill</i> (Washington DC), September 18, 2007.</font></li>

<li><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">Jim Snyder, "<a href="http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/naasz-out-at-national-mining-association-2008-08-21.html" class="external text" title="http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/naasz-out-at-national-mining-association-2008-08-21.html" rel="nofollow">Naasz out at National Mining Association</a>," <i>The Hill</i> (Washington DC), August 21, 2008.</font></li>

<li><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">"<a href="http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i536jfOol1gh7ago3QLE3rrEvhZgD92RFC3G3" class="external text" title="http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i536jfOol1gh7ago3QLE3rrEvhZgD92RFC3G3" rel="nofollow">Industry groups file lawsuit over polar bear rule</a>," Associated Press, August 28, 2008.</font></li>

</ul><div style="font-weight: normal;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"></font></div><div style=""><div style=""><blockquote style="margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 1em 1em 0.25em; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; quotes: none; border-radius: 5px;"><p style="font-weight: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 29.4px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">=</font></p><div class="elititle-wrapper" style="font-weight: normal; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 2rem; margin-top: -0.4em; letter-spacing: 0.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">n<a href="https://www.corpwatch.org/article/norilsk-nickel-tale-unbridled-capitalism-russian-style" hreflang="und" style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.03rem; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 700;">orilsk Nickel: A Tale of Unbridled Capitalism, Russian Style</a></font></div><div class="elitags" style="font-weight: normal; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"><span class="elitag-lable" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Industries:</span> <a href="https://www.corpwatch.org/industries/energy-mining-utilities" hreflang="en" style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.03rem; text-decoration-line: none; font-weight: 700;">Energy, Mining & Utilities</a></font></div><div class="elimeta" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; letter-spacing: 0.5px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style=""><span class="elipublisher" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Published by Special to <b>CorpWatch | </b></span><span class="eliauthor" style="font-weight: normal; box-sizing: border-box;">By Anton Foek | </span><span class="elidate" style="font-weight: normal; box-sizing: border-box;">Thursday, October 9</span><span class="elidate" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><b>, 2008</b></span></font></div><div class="elibody-wrapper" style="font-weight: normal; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px; letter-spacing: 0.5px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman">The launch of Russia's stock markets in the early 90s and privatization of state assets has profoundly impacted Russian society. As the case of mining giant Norilsk Nickel illustrates, this experiment has given rise to both immense personal wealth for a new elite, and economic uncertainty for the ordinary citizen.</font></p><a class="eliread-more" href="https://www.corpwatch.org/article/norilsk-nickel-tale-unbridled-capitalism-russian-style" style="box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.03rem; text-decoration-line: none;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" color="#000000">Read More</font></a></div></blockquote></div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><font size="4" face="Times New Roman"></font></font></div></div><div style="font-weight: normal;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="4">=</font></div>

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