Studies show that more than three out of every four Americans participate in active outdoor recreation each year. Sometimes when I’m climbing in Eldorado Canyon State Park or Rocky Mountain National Park, I’m sure in Colorado that number is closer to four out of four.
Here in the Rockies, we just can’t get enough of the outdoors. Thankfully we’re blessed with a vast array of public lands for hiking, biking, climbing, camping and wildlife viewing. In the face of a new mining boom in the West, it’s become even more important to protect these public treasures.
Unbelievably, mining in this country is still governed by a 136 year-old law designed to entice settlers to the Wild West. Today, this 19th century law is badly out of touch and needs a major overhaul.
The 1872 Mining Law gives mining priority over all other uses of our public lands, including for recreation, watersheds that provide clean drinking water, and prime wildlife habitat.
And unlike the oil and gas industries, which pay the U.S. Treasury for the privilege of drilling on America’s public lands, mining companies get to extract billions of dollars worth of gold, uranium and other metals without paying a royalty.
What’s even more absurd is that the law allows the patenting and purchasing of public land at 1872 prices of $5 an acre or less. That’s a poor way to manage our natural heritage, and not the legacy I want to leave for the next generation.
People live in the West because of the unparalleled quality of life, including access to outdoor recreation opportunities. My lifelong love affair with the natural beauty we westerners share began as a backcountry-climbing ranger for the National Park Service.
While I am still an active climber of 30 years, I’ve taken my passion for the outdoors into the world of outdoor equipment. I have spent my career making products that I hope inspire people to experience for themselves the remarkable natural beauty, wildlife, peace and quiet, and rewarding adventures that our public lands offer.
Outdoor recreation isn’t just an amenity that is attracting more and more people to Colorado. It’s also a powerful economic engine, contributing $730 billion annually to the U.S. economy and supporting nearly 6.5 million jobs across the country. In Colorado alone it generates hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues.
It’s hard to believe that people spending time enjoying the great outdoors can create so many jobs and so much revenue, but it’s true. It’s how 107,000 Coloradans, myself included, make a living.
Thanks to the shamefully outdated 1872 Mining Law, the only thing we get from mining companies in exchange for our priceless public lands are abandoned mines, which have contaminated 40 percent of western headwaters. It’s time to change that.
The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a bill that would fix much of what’s wrong with the old one, adding new protection for clean water and public lands important for recreation, wildlife habitat and cultural values. It also included a modest royalty on mining to help clean up abandoned mines that pollute our rivers and streams.
It’s high time the U.S. Senate followed suit. Colorado and other western states will be saddled with the costs of the current mining boom while reaping far too few of the benefits unless Colorado’s U.S. Senators show leadership and move quickly to enact common sense reforms.
Mining has played and will continue to play a role in the economy of the West. My industry relies on steel, molybdenum and other metals to create the mountain bikes, climbing carabiners and other products we sell. But it must be done responsibly and in balance with other public land uses.
Our magnificent public lands are the birthright of every American. Bringing the 1872 Mining Law in line with 21st century values will help protect our birthright and that of future generations.
Paul Gagner is the President of Sierra Designs and Ultimate Direction. He is on the board of the American Alpine Club and a former Outdoor Industry Association board member. He lives in Boulder.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an online-only column and has not been edited.
