Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), the Senate Energy Committee’s top Democrat, is urging the House of Representatives to drop consideration of controversial mining provisions from its budget reconciliation package.  The legislation would open up millions of acres of public lands – including national parks, wilderness areas and national forests – for sale to mining interests.  The language is included in the Budget reconciliation bill which the House is expected to consider as early as today.

STATEMENT OF SENATOR JEFF BINGAMAN

Mining Law Provisions

House Reconciliation Bill

“The Budget Reconciliation bill before the House would amend the Mining Law of 1872 in a manner contrary to good public policy.  If enacted, it would result in a deeply troubling outcome – a fire sale of valuable Federal lands, adverse impacts on national parks, forests and other public lands, and new, ambiguous legal standards and requirements that will have far-reaching negative consequences.  I hope that the House does not adopt these ill-conceived provisions, and if this bill reaches conference, I will work to keep them out of the final Reconciliation bill.”

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