Page 6 - aruba-today-20180922

A6 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 22 September 2018

U.S. agency endorses plan to block new mining near Yellowstone

By MATTHEW BROWN "I've always said there are
Associated Press places where it is appro-
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — U.S. priate to mine and places
officials recommended ap- where it isn't. The Para-
proval on Friday of a plan dise Valley is one of those
to block new mining claims unique places," Zinke said.
for 20 years on the forested Montana Republican U.S.
public lands that make up Sen. Steve Daines said the
Yellowstone National Park's areas covered by the with-
mountainous northern drawal were "truly special
boundary. places that deserve pro-
Regional Forester Leanne tection."
Marten submitted a letter U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, a Mon-
to the Bureau of Land Man- tana Democrat, called on
agement endorsing the Daines to support legisla-
plan to withdraw 30,000 tion sponsored by Tester
acres (12,140 hectares) in that would make the with-
Montana's Paradise Val- drawal permanent. Tester's
ley and the Gardiner Basin bill was introduced last year
from new claims for gold, and is currently before the
silver, platinum and other Senate Energy and Natural
minerals, U.S. Forest Service This Nov. 21, 2016, file photo shows Emigrant Peak towering over the Paradise Valley in Montana Resources Committee, of
spokeswoman Marna Dal- north of Yellowstone National Park. U.S. officials are recommending blocking new mining claims which Daines is a member.
ey said. on 30,000 acres of public lands around the peak. An identical bill sponsored
A final decision is up to the Associated Press by Republican U.S. Rep.
office of U.S. Interior Sec. Greg Gianforte is pending
Ryan Zinke, who favors the has received bipartisan where grizzly bears, wolves the companies have said. in the House.
withdrawal. Zinke said in a backing in Montana, with and other wildlife roam But others have said the The mining industry oppos-
statement that it could be Democrats and Republi- back and forth across the new move could discour- es putting the public land
finalized in coming weeks. cans alike eager to cast Yellowstone border — and age investment into those off limits. Backers of the
The Trump administration's themselves as protectors of where the scars of histori- project. withdrawal want it made
support is notable given the natural beauty of the cal mining still are visible on About 1.7 million people permanent.
the president's outspoken Yellowstone region. some hillsides. drove through area last Under the proposal, gov-
advocacy for the mining The rocky peaks and forest- The Forest Service recom- year, and withdrawing the ernment officials have es-
industry and his criticism of ed stream valleys covered mendation follows con- land from new mining de- timated that 81 acres (33
government regulations by the withdrawal attract cerns among business own- velopment would help pro- hectares) would still be
said to stifle economic de- skiers, hikers and other rec- ers, residents and local of- tect the areas for wildlife disturbed by mining and
velopment. The proposal reational users. It's an area ficials that two proposed and recreation, according 4.5 miles (7 kilometers) of
mining projects north of to U.S. Forest Service offi- new roads would be built,
OFFICE SPACE age waterways and hurt The withdrawal includes vice analysis completed in
according to a Forest Ser-
Yellowstone could dam-
cials.
March. That compares to
tourism, a mainstay of the only public lands, not ex-
FOR RENT local economy. isting mining claims or ex- an estimated 130 acres (53
Those two projects would ploration on private lands. hectares) of land disturbed
not be directly affected It's been in the works since by mining and 7 miles (11
kilometers) of roads over
because the companies 2016 under Zinke's prede-
behind them have already cessor, former Interior Sec. 20 years if the withdrawal
made their mining claims, Sally Jewell. were not enacted.q
As he considers 2020, Biden airs

regrets of Thomas hearings

By THOMAS BEAUMONT said he failed to prevent and the return of allega-
Weighing a 2020 campaign the all-male committee tions of sexual impropriety
for president, former Vice from putting Hill on the de- in a Supreme Court confir-
President Joe Biden says he fensive. mation.
should have protected Ani- "Anita Hill was vilified when Supreme Court nominee
ta Hill from what he called she came forward, by a lot Judge Brett Kavanaugh
"character assassination" of my colleagues," Biden is accused of sexually as-
during the Supreme Court said during an interview on saulting Christine Blasey
confirmation hearings of NBC's Today. "I wish I could Ford, now a university pro-
Justice Clarence Thomas have done more to pre- fessor in California, when
more than a quarter cen- vent those questions and they were in high school
tury ago. the way they asked them." more than 30 years ago.
Biden chaired the Senate Biden was reflecting on his Kavanaugh has denied the
Judiciary Committee dur- lead role in a seminal mo- allegation, which has re-
ing the contentious 1991 ment in the nation's debate kindled questions of Biden's
hearings. As sexual miscon- over sexual harassment, leadership of the Judiciary
duct again shadows a high long before the explosion Committee as he considers
court confirmation, Biden of the #MeToo movement another presidential run.q