Trump administration opens millions of acres of California desert to mining

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

The California desert is the latest target of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's campaign to promote resource extraction on public lands across the West.

Zinke's Interior Department said this week it would allow mining on 1.3 million acres, or more than 2,000 square miles, across the California desert, reversing an Obama-era effort to protect those lands. Vast swaths of Utah's Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments were similarly opened to mining this month, following President Trump's decision to dramatically reduce the size of those monuments.

In California, the areas that will be open to mining include low desert lands bordering Joshua Tree National Park in Riverside County, high desert areas north of Pioneertown in San Bernardino County, lands flanking Death Valley National Park in Inyo County, and huge stretches of eastern Imperial County. Starting March 9, mining companies looking for rare-earth metals, gold, sand and other minerals can stake claim to those areas.

The opening of those places to mining follows the Trump administration's announcement last week that it would reconsider an Obama-era plan to protect millions of acres of public land in the California desert. The Interior Department said it hopes to allow more solar and wind farms, off-road vehicle driving, mining and grazing on those lands, which are home to desert tortoises, bighorn sheep, Joshua trees and other iconic species.

https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2018/02/07/trump-zinke-california-desert-mining-rare-earth-metals-conservation-public-lands/316608002/

[MFM008]

1. Let the lawsuits begin! !

If I was California I would hold their shit up as long as possible.