Washington’s Attorney General and activists are fighting environmental disaster. Join us Wednesday, April 5, at 6:30 pm on Zoom

Ask the people around you if they know an 1872 Mining Law still allows mining companies to buy public land for $5 an acre. Ask if they know mining companies keep all the profits, pay no royalties, and leave toxic superfund sites across the West for taxpayers to clean up.

Washington’s Attorney General, Bob Ferguson, is standing up for change. He’s suing a Canadian mining companyfor what it left behind from the Buckhorn Mountain gold mine near Chesaw, Washington. Records indicate Ferguson is holding it liable for violating the Clean Water Act 3,539 times.

Also presenting is businessman and activist, Michael “Buffalo” Mazzetti who lives near Buckhorn Mountain and has fought the mine for 30 years. Buffalo will show slides and talk about how it takes more than one strategy to stop a multinational companyfrom putting cyanide and other toxic chemicals into watersheds.

Join us for this program at the 32nd LD, Wednesday, April 5 meeting, 6:30 pm via Zoom

Just a reminder, our 32nd LD monthly meeting is Wednesday, April 5 at 6:30 pm. We will be joined by Attorney General Bob Ferguson. On the agenda is consideration of two resolutions and one appointed precinct committee officer.

Recognizing tonight is the first night of Passover, we will officially end our meeting at 7:15 (before sundown).

32nd District Democrats
April 5, 2023 – Meeting Draft Agenda
Zoom – 6:30 – 7:15 pm

6:30 pm Call to order, Land acknowledgment, Pledge of Allegiance,

Adoption of the March 1 Minutes

Presentation by Washington’s AG and an activist fighting a mining disaster and the antiquated 1872 Mining Law

Presentation of Rank Choice Voting for the Presidential Primaries

Consideration of Resolutions
Reform the 1872 Mining Law
Inclusion of Individuals with Lived Experiences in E2SB 1541

If time – King County Yes! on Prop 1 Health Crisis Centers discussion

7:15 pm – Hard stop at 7:15 pm

Post 7:15 pm – General Discussion

Reforming the 1872 Mining Law

Written almost 150 years ago, U.S. hardrock mining policy is dangerously out of touch and out of scale with modern mining operations.

We need mining reform now to protect our communities from perpetual pollution.

What we can do as Democrats to reform the 1872 Mining Law:

• Resolution – present to other LDs. Washington can lead legislative reform.

• Meet with/write/call Washington’s U.S. Senators and Representatives across Washington state. Urge them to join efforts by Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) and Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) for legislative reform.

• Anyone with contacts in Kentucky or Nevada: What would it take for Sen. Joe Manchin (D-KY) and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) to NOT reject the above reforms, proposed by the Clean Energy Minerals Reform Act of 2022.

• Ask Buffalo to share his presentation at your LD or other organizational meetings.

More about why we need mining reform:

YouTube, “1872 Mining Reform,” Earthworks (1:17 minutes)

YouTube, “Mining the New American West,” National Geographic.

(5:55 minutes)

YouTube, “Hardrock Mining – Re-think, Reform,” Outdoor Alliance (5:30 minutes)

Okanoganhighlands.org

Purewater.org

Earthworks.org

TheDiggings.com, “Washington has 58,272 records of mining claims on public land”

KREM-TV Spokane, Estimated $3 billion gold deposit found in North Washington, 8 February 2023

Spokesman Review, J Hanlon, Canadian mining company reports finding $3 billion gold deposit near Republic, 6 February 2023