Suction dredges are
giant gasoline-powered
vacuum cleaners that
suck the gravel from
stream bottoms and run
it through a settling
device that concentrates
the gold flecks left
behind since the Gold
Rush of the 1850s.
Conservation groups
contend the technique
damages fish and water
quality, but miners, who
rallied against an
earlier version of the
bill at the Capitol,
contend it is harmless
and actually improves
fish habitat by breaking
up stream bottoms to
improve the medium for
spawning and by removing
harmful metals such as
mercury.
Since California adopted
a moratorium in 2009,
miners have been
crossing the border into
Oregon. Idaho has also
imposed stricter limits.
The numbers of permits
this year was expected
to be triple the 850
sold in 2009.
The bill evolved out of
an earlier proposal from
conservation groups to
impose a total ban on
gold dredging on salmon
rivers through wild and
scenic river
designations.
The bill calls on the
governor to bring
together miners,
fishermen and other
interest groups to
report by 2014 on what
parts of the law are
working, and what parts
are not.
"This legislation
doesn't solve the
problem, but it's an
important step forward
in dealing with the
invasion of Californians
looking to mine Oregon
rivers," said Erik
Fernandez of Oregon
Wild, a conservation
group. "It's
disheartening to see
sustainable businesses
like rafting companies
and fishing guides
getting crowded out of
rivers by polluting and
noisy suction dredges."
Geoff Garcia, a
geologist and miner who
lives on a claim on a
tributary of the Rogue
River near Grants Pass,
said the limitations
made no sense.
"With deference to the
150 or 200 years of
mining this state has
had, you would think
they would try to figure
out if the dredges are
actually hurting
something before they
outlaw them," he said.
"If they are really
worried about the
salmon, they could say,
`Let's stop fishing for
a few years,' and see if
that affects salmon."