Oppose the "Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2009" (H.R. 699/S. 796)

Legislation that threatens to shutter mineral mining operations in Western states, putting thousands of people out of work and crippling the economies of hundreds of communities has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.

ACT now and write your members of Congress and urge them to oppose the "Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2009" (S. 796/H.R. 699). Let Congress know that these bills will jeopardize Western mineral operations that are needed to accelerate America's economic recovery

These bills would shoulder American mineral operators with costly new royalties, making it impossible for them to compete in the international marketplace.

ACT now and tell Congress that as America works to rebuild its economy, now is not the time to put the 900,000 jobs created by mineral mining at risk.

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Subject:

Dear Decision Maker:

Legislation introduced by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) and in the House by Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) threatens to put hundreds of thousands of Americans out of work, dealing a devastating blow to communities throughout the West that are already struggling amidst the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

The "Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2009" (S. 796/H.R. 699) would saddle American mineral mining operations with a new costly royalty for minerals produced on federal lands that would severely damage the economic competitiveness of America's mineral producers.  The bill also would needlessly subject domestic operators to duplicative regulations and legal uncertainties - further increasing our dependence on foreign sources for metals we have in abundance at home.

Some 250,000 Americans are directly employed because of U.S. metal and mineral mining, with another 650,000 jobs created elsewhere in the economy to support metals and non-metals mining.  On average, these jobs pay 33 percent more than the combined average for all industrial jobs.  S. 796/H.R. 699 threaten these jobs and the $13.6 billion in payroll and income taxes they generate.

America's metals and mining community supplies half the nation's manufacturing needs and is vital to rebuilding the nation's infrastructure and kick-starting America's economy.

America's mineral producers stand ready to support responsible updates to the General Mining Law to keep U.S. mining strong, but S. 796/H.R. 699 are the wrong medicine for our economy and crushing news for thousands of families in America's mining community.

Please show your support for re-energizing America's economy with domestic jobs and resources and oppose S. 796/H.R. 699.

Sincerely,

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