Articles

In Karuk Tribe of California v. United States Forest Service, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held that notices of intent to mine on national forest lands trigger the obligation for the Forest Service to consult with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service over the impacts of the proposed mining ...

In Karuk Tribe of California v. United States Forest Service, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held that the receipt of a notice of intent from a private party is an “agency action,” triggering the consultation requirement of the Endangered Species Act. The miners sought review in the Supreme Court, and Pacific Legal Foundation, re ...

The California Court of Appeal has issued a decision that seriously undermines California’s ban on suction dredge mining. Adopting the argument of our amicus brief, the Court held that a state ban forbidding all commercially beneficial use of a federal mining claim is preempted by federal mining law. Brandon Rinehart has a federal mining clai ...

Property Rights — Suction Dredge Ban Undermined The California Court of Appeal has issued a decision that seriously undermines California’s ban on suction dredge mining. Adopting the argument of our amicus brief, the Court held that a state ban forbidding all commercially beneficial use of a federal mining claim is preempted by federal ...

The California Supreme Court is considering an important case concerning whether a state can frustrate federal law and deprive people of their livelihoods for no good reason. PLF filed this amicus brief in the case, joined by the Western Mining Alliance and Siskiyou County. If you’re a regular reader, you can probably guess which side … ...

PLF and Western Mining Alliance have filed an amicus brief in the Ninth Circuit case Bohmker v. Oregon. In the brief, we argue that federal mining policy preempts Oregon’s ban on a federally-approved and encouraged mining practice. Part of having a federalist system of government is deciding which level of government gets final say when R ...

The California Supreme Court has issued its long-awaited decision in People v. Rinehart, concerning the legality of the state’s ban on suction dredge mining. The case concerns an apparent conflict between federal law, which encourages mining on federal lands, and the state’s ban against the only practicable method of mining stream bed c ...

Nearly two centuries ago, the Supreme Court recognized that the “unavoidable consequence” of the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause is that States have “no power … to retard, impede, burden, or in any manner control” federal policies that are otherwise consistent with the Constitution. California, unfortunately, has ...

PLF asks Supreme Court to review challenge to California mining ban PLF challenges California gray wolf listing Supreme Court sets oral argument in Murr More Supreme Court arguments set for the March calendar PLF asks Supreme Court to review challenge to California mining ban PLF petitioned the nation’s highest court to hear Brandon Rinehart& ...