Legalectric

A few weeks ago I’d published notice of the “hearings” for comment on the request to withdraw leasing and a 20 year moratorium — there was a moratorium, but in 2017, the previous administration withdrew that moratorium, that previous administration also renewed the Twin Metals leases. WTAF?!?! So this moratorium request is to go back to where they were, to reinstitute the moratorium, to address the environmental issues they’d started on, and to take a 20 year pause on leasing for extractive exploration. This does not affect existing leases, only new ones.

BLM & USFS Comment Period on Withdrawal of Leasing for Mineral Exploration December 21st, 2021

Comments are due January 19, 2022:

And press release from BLM:

Biden Administration Takes Action to Complete Study of Boundary Waters Area Watershed

They’re hosting zoomies over three days. Yesterday was the first. You supposedly have to register to get the link, though I sent Alan my link and it worked for him. I was #67 for commenting, #67 of 173 who’d requested time to comment, and I did get to comment after nearly THREE HOURS of waiting, and I was one of the last! They shut down the meeting at 4 p.m., leaving about 100 people without an opportunity to comment.

Here are the next two meeting dates, Saturday and Tuesday, and a link to “register” and ask for time to comment — maybe you’ll “win” the lottery as I did? I think odds are better at Treasure Island.

Register for the Meeting on Saturday, January 15, 2022, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., CST at https://blm.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_q9OWw5P3TSuvACoQ2o6gnQ

Register for the Meeting on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., CST at https://blm.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_rs2ueUYaQ-CoRO25s2bLqA

When you register, you’ll get a link to zoom right away, and then you’re notified whether you’ve been selected to make a comment 3 days before the meeting.

Send comments by January 19, 2022 to F. David Radford, Deputy State Director of Geospatial Services, BLM Eastern States Office, RE: Superior National Forest Withdrawal Application, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041, OR via email to BLM_ES_Lands@blm.gov (in subject line, “Superior Nat’l Forest Withdrawal Application). Comments need to be made in the record, blathering on anti-social media does NOT count.

Documents thus far that I could find:

Scoping

• 12-07-2021 2021-22958 BLM Federal Register Notice 10-21-2021 (PDF 204kb)
• 12-07-2021 Superior NF Mineral Withdrawal Request Letter 2021-09-28 (PDF 194kb)
• 12-07-2021 Superior National Forest Withdrawal Application 2021-09-28 (PDF 392kb)
• 12-07-2021 Appendix A Land List 2021-09-16 (PDF 134kb)
• 12-07-2021 Withdrawal Regulation 43 CFR 2300 (PDF 220kb)
• 12-07-2021 Appendix B Withdrawal Area Map 2021-09-16 (PDF 1379kb)
• 12-13-2021 2021-27036 BLM Federal Register Notice 12-14-2021 (PDF 192kb)
• 12-15-2021Scoping Letter 12-15-2021 (PDF 141kb)