Today the Senate Appropriations Committee inserted language in an Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill that would effectively stop in its tracks a Clinton Administration initiative to strengthen environmental regulations that govern mining on public lands. This emergency-spending bill is intended primarily to provide funds to aid victims of Hurricane Mitch in Central America.

This anti-environmental language could delay the release of revised environmental mining regulations (43 CFR 3809) for a year or more. This is the latest in a series of delays that environmentalists believe are intended to prevent new, stronger regulations from being issued during the Clinton Administration.

If passed, the bill would bar the Clinton Administration from spending previously approved funds for this environmental protection effort. The language blocks the Administration from spending funds to seek public input on its new draft regulations until 120 days after the National Academy of Sciences issues a study examining the adequacy of the existing patchwork of federal and state mining rules.

This is the third time in the last three years that the Senate, bowing to pressure from the mining industry, has sought to delay the issuance of these new environmental safeguards. Despite clear public support for mining reform and the need for stronger environmental safeguards on public lands.

"In one short paragraph, inserted with no open debate, the Senate Appropriations Committee has essentially cut funding for public comment and replaced it with the voice of a small and unrepresentative panel that will make its decisions behind closed doors," said Stephen D’Esposito President of Mineral Policy Center. "This panel is full of members with financial ties to the mining industry."

Said Alan Septoff, Mineral Policy Center Reform Campaign Director, "Further delay will cost the taxpayer millions of dollars. Yet with this action citizens have been effectively shut-out of the political process. Public frustration with outdated mining laws and regulations is growing and these closed-door delay tactics will only make things worse."

The emergency supplemental appropriations bill containing the rider may come to a vote by the full Senate sometime in the middle of next week.

The need for stronger environmental protections against irresponsible mining is clear.