“For several years Vroon has been in discussions with its lenders to resolve its over-indebtedness,” says the company in a statement released January 7. Non-motorized mining would be exempted from any increased restrictions.Netherlands-based Vroon Group reports that it has reached a preliminary agreement on debt restructuring that will see its lenders become its majority shareholders. Joe Fitzgibbon (D-Seattle) introduced House Bill 1077, to increase protections in environmentally sensitive areas by requiring better permitting and monitoring for motorized mining. Tarleton introduced House Bill 1106, which would require miners to comply with the Clean Water Act to reduce water pollution when mining. Miners that have been displaced from other West Coast states due to recently tightened regulations are now flocking to Washington State, Trout Unlimited says.

Trout Unlimited and other conservation groups cite the risks of this approach given the hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars invested in Washington’s watersheds on salmon and steelhead recovery and habitat restoration in recent years.Ĭalifornia and Oregon no longer allow this activity, and Idaho regulates it strictly under the Clean Water Act.

Washington State currently allows suction dredging and other forms of motorized mineral prospecting without tracking or monitoring, including in areas that have been designated as critical habitat for our threatened and endangered salmon, steelhead, and bull trout. 'Washington continues to stall while neighboring states adopt laws protecting endangered fisheries and water quality from damages caused by suction dredge mining,' said State Representative Gael Tarleton (D-Ballard). Suction dredge mining uses large, gas-powered vacuums to suck-up gravel on the bottom of rivers and streams in search of gold impacting fish spawning areas, rivers, and water quality.

RIVERS – Two bills in the Washington Legislature seek to reform suction dredge gold mining and improve protections for salmon and water quality.

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