How do you determine when your disturbance becomes significant?? Options Track this topic Email this topic Print this topic Download this topic Subscribe to this forum Display Modes Outline Switch to: Standard Switch to: Linear+

[realnice]

Hi all, im new to the site. Been prospecting for about 10 years here in Colorado. I hold a few mining claims and am wondering about determining significant disturbance on historically disturbed areas. An area where i have a claim has been logged and mined for a long time and the land shows it. It also has very heavy 4wd use. it is not very pristine at all. One of my claims is visible from the road so recently it has come upon scrutiny by the USFS. there is a 40 ft x 20 ft. worked area. The area is disturbed and is comprised of filled in diggs.
The 228.4 Plan of operations—notice of intent—requirements seem to fit my site as to not have to file a plan of operations, but one stipulation is...
(v) Operations, which in their totality,
will not cause surface resource disturbance
which is substantially different
than that caused by other users
of the National Forest System who are
not required to obtain a Forest Service
special use authorization, contract, or
other written authorization;

If they deem my operation to be causing significant disturbance what can they do? Arent they supposed to inform me to stop and complete a plan of operations? What are my rights here?

How do I appeal a desicion by the USFS?

[realnice]

Ok, so sorry for being away for a while. Life just gets so busy.

So we had our office meeting and on June 28th we had a field meeting with the District ranger, hydrologist, geologist, botanist, cultural resource specialists, etc and all the rest of the clowns that they could stuff into one forest service vehicle. I laid out my plans for buck fencing. We agreed upon a pit size of about 75 by 40 ft. Little things like where my tailing go and what not. They were really interested in depth and I told them that if I knew just how deep and where the deposit was I would be a rich man as I would be psychic! lol! But what I said is that I have the right to explore as deep as I need.They are still going to require a bond which will be about 2,000 bucks($200) which is what they determined a long time ago.
Anyways. Now that I'm bonded I'm going to work a little by hand this year and hopefully get my bond adjusted to get a backhoe in next summer. My partner has also abandoned the claim so It's all me now...even though he has been MIA through all this. I also sold my other claim and am looking into a nice gemmy Smokey spot!:)

They are still taking their sweet ass time since the field meeting and I need them to speed things up. This whole thing is over a year old now.geeeeez!
Another interesting side note is that some friends of mine filed a claim last fall and turned in a POO. The forest service said that there was no need and now they can basically dig wherever and "significantly disturb" the forest:)hah!...whatever.

realnice