Restoring old mining claims to the public-
Old mining claims have a nasty tendency to become remote, jarring, difficult-to-service trophy homes.
For years the Trust for Public Lands has helped move old mining claims (federal lands that were privatized and perhaps mined at one time) back into the public estate.
John Miller of the Associated Press has written a story about them. Conservationists, Forest Service buy up mines. AP.
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Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is past President of the Western Watersheds Project.
Good stuff. The Trust is doing the right – and best – thing for the land. As I rember, though, the Land and Water Conservation Fund has been dragging for eight years because of the Bush administration’s desire not to enlarbe the public land trust.