EASTERN OREGON
MINING ASSOCIATION
SEPTEMBER 2026
VOLUME 444
EOMA MEMBERSHIPS FOR 2026
If your mailing label doesn’t indicate 1/1/27 your dues are not paid up. You can send your payment to: EOMA, PO Box 932, Baker City, OR 97814. Or you can pay at the meeting. You can also sign up and pay with a credit card on our website: EOMA.US Please contact Ken if there is a question about your dues payment. Thank you for your support.
SEPTEMBER 4th, 2026 MONTHLY MEETING AT ELK CREEK ENTERPRISES
The EOMA monthly meeting is at the Elk Creek Enterprises building located at 890 Elm Street in Baker City. The Executive Board Meeting starts at 6:00 PM and the General Meeting follows at 6:30 PM. Don’t forget, someone will win a 1 oz. silver medallion at the end of the meeting.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Time is short for commenting on the Blue Mountain Plan Revision. Comments are due by September 30. This newsletter, as well as the last newsletter, contains information on areas of the new Plan that will affect our local communities and our miners. Take time to read and understand what this Plan has in store for miners. Comments can be made by sending an e-mail with your letter as an attachment at sm.fs.bluesforests@usda.gov or by sending a letter to Umatilla National Forest Supervisor’s Office, Atten: Blue Mountains Forest Plan Revision, 72510 Coyote Road, Pendleton, OR 97801.
There is a lot of discussion about fire in the Plan. Currently, the Forest Service is trying desperately to control fires all across the Blue Mountains. The fires are the result of little grazing, little logging, and no real forest management. In addition, in the old days, loggers and miners kept operating during fire season, and if there was a fire, they were on it immediately. Today, the forest is shut down, and there is no one out there to report, and fight a fire, if one happened. By the time these one-acre lightning strike fires have crews on site the fires have grown to hundreds of acres.
BLUE MOUNTAIN FOREST REVISION COMMENT PERIOD CLOSES SEPT 30, 2026-Jan Alexander
We have less than 30 days to read through this document and make comments. The Plan is long, technical, with many areas that are confusing. There are “standards” that are actual requirements, that will affect mining. These are inserted under all kinds of different headings, rather than having them all under the heading “Minerals and Geology”. This Plan will affect the Wallowa-Whitman, Umatilla and Malheur National Forests users and provide direction in the years to come.
Commenters need to understand that there are three alternatives. Alternative 1 is the current 1990 Forest Plan. This Plan worked just fine for 26 years, and it still has areas that are better than the Forest Service proposed Alternative 2. For instance, Alternative 1 has clear direction about mining and it is all located in one section of the Plan. Alternative 3 is the environmental proposal with less grazing, mining and forest management and more wilderness. There is nothing in alternative 3 that will benefit our forest users.
It looks like the Roadless Areas will be removed, thanks to Brook Rollins, the US Secretary of Agriculture. However, under Alternative 3, there is still new wilderness being proposed. And under both Alternative 2 and 3 of the Blue Mountain Plan Revision, streams like East Eagle Creek are being proposed as wild and scenic, and under this designation there will be a no-entry buffer of ¼ mile on each side of the stream. Under the wild and scenic designation, new roads and new mining claims would be prohibited. East Eagle Creek was mined in the past, has many patented mining properties along the stream, and there are also unpatented mining claims. I am hoping people will comment that mineralized areas should not be proposed for wild and scenic designations.
As stated in the last newsletter, the Forest Service plans to restrict access to miners who are prospecting or doing assessment work. “Standards” are requirements, and there is a standard on page 180 that says access will be determined based on the level of activity. They justify this requirement by saying this is based on the Mining Laws. This is absolutely untrue. The mining laws never said access is based on the level of activity. In order to prospect or do assessment work, miners need unrestricted access. Picks, shovels, buckets, pumps and more require pick-up access. You can’t walk in with all this equipment.
Alternative 2 is better for timber, except there are still restrictions on cutting larger trees. It seems obvious that if a tree is dead or dying or diseased, it should be cut no matter what the size. There is no real improvement for ranchers who graze cows on the Forest. Where we mine, grass is thick and dry and there are no cows. Not only is this not good feed for wildlife, but these areas, where there is no grazing, are simply a fire just waiting to happen.
Forest Access for All is helping people write letters. Check out https://www.forestaccessforall.org/bmfpr-public-comment. I also am always glad to help write letters. Contact me at 541-446-3413 or alx@ortelco.net
UPDATE ON DEQ 600 PERMIT-Jan Alexander
EOMA member Johnny West contacted David Feldman of DEQ and reiterated EOMA’s concerns about the draft permit.
DEQ replied that they were working on a permit that miners could view and comment on. They had no date for the release of that draft permit.
DEQ did express an interest in making a site visit to a small-scale mining operation. If there are miners out there who would agree to facilitate DEQ personnel, please let me know.
CRITICAL MINERALS DOMINANCE ACT HEARD IN SENATE COMMITTEE-AEMA
On July 15, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources’ (ENR) Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests and Mining held a hearing to receive testimony on a long list of bills. H.R. 4090, Rep. Pete Stauber’s Critical Mineral Dominance Act, was one piece of legislation included on the agenda.
H.R. 4090 would codify certain provisions of President Trump’s Executive Orders relating to domestic hardrock mining. AEMA was privileged to work with Chairman of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources, Pete Stauber’s staff to develop and refine H.R. 4090, and we are encouraged to see it continue through the legislative process in the Senate. AEMA Executive Director Mark Compton provided ENR committee staff with a statement for the record in support of the bill.
TRUMP ORDER PRIORITIZES DOMESTIC MINERAL SOURCING-AEMA
July 20, President Trump signed an executive order – Securing America’s Defense Supply Chains and Ensuring Domestic Acquisition of Critical Materials – to ensure a reliable, independent critical mineral supply chain for military equipment. The order requires the U.S. to source critical minerals used in key defense systems from domestic or allied nation suppliers to avoid potential economic subversion by China.
PRESIDENT TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE ORDERS-AEMA
Executive Order 14192, Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation, to alleviate unnecessary regulatory burdens,
Executive Order 14225, Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production,
Executive Order 14154, Unleashing American Energy,
Executive Order 14153, Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential.
USDA ACTS TO REMOVE ROADLESS RULE RESTRICTIONS ON ALL NATIONAL FORESTS
(Washington, D.C., Aug. 18, 2026) – Today, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the U.S. Forest Service has filed a proposed rule to rescind in its entirety the national 2001 Roadless Area Conversation Rule, a one-size-fits-all restriction that has frustrated land managers and served as a barrier to wildfire risk reduction work across large swaths of America’s national forests. “Our forests can’t afford another decade of inaction. Across the country, we’ve watched preventable conditions – overgrown stands, insect outbreaks and disease – turn healthy landscapes into tinderboxes,” said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. “For too long, outdated restrictions have kept tens of millions of forested acres off-limits to the very treatments that improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk to our communities. Today, we filed a proposal to restore authority to local forest managers who know the land best, removing the barriers that have kept them from doing the work the land demands. It’s time to turn the page on the failed roadless rule and return our forests to health and productivity.”
For 25 years, the 2001 Roadless Rule restricted road construction and limited the Forest Service’s ability to carry out critical active management work within inventoried roadless areas. Today, that includes more than 44 million acres of the 193-million-acre National Forest System. The rescission is intended to prioritize local agency decision-making over regulatory rules that are the same across the country, regardless of specific land management issues and needs.
“This proposed rule is commonsense policy sought since the first Trump administration. In the years since, the need for it has only become more apparent,” said Deputy Secretary Stephen A. Vaden. “It is a credit to President Trump that we can begin to put into place a rule that will allow us to properly manage our national forests, because the first step to managing forests is to have access to them.”
The agency will seek public comment on the proposal and on a draft of the environmental impact statement filed today in the Federal Register. The rescission removes national designation of roadless areas but does not mandate timber cutting or road construction. The action removes regulatory burden and sends decisions about roadless areas to the local national forest managers.
“Active forest management is not an option. It’s essential,” said Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz. “More than 40% of inventoried roadless areas, primarily in the West, have high or very high wildfire hazard potential. And only 5% of those areas have received hazardous fuels reduction treatments since 2014. At the same time, more than a quarter of these lands—11.3 million acres—are already near existing roads. Acting now, thoughtfully and decisively, is the best way to restore the balance, reduce wildfire risk, and secure the long-term health of our forests and neighboring communities.”
Send your comments in favor of Rescinding the Roadless Rule to: https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FS-2025-0001
TRAVEL MANAGEMENT PLAN ON NATIONAL FOREST LANDS- Federal Register
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is initiating an environmental impact statement and rulemaking to revise the Forest Service’s travel management regulations, 36 CFR part 212. The proposed action would establish a uniform national policy favoring increased access while simplifying regulatory requirements and preserving local decision-making. The proposed access rule would establish a national policy with a presumption that existing roads, trails, airfields, trailheads, and other access routes and points on National Forest System lands are open to appropriate public use unless closure or restriction is required by applicable law, valid existing rights, or another governing instrument, or supported by specific, documented and justifiable reasons based on science-based resource conditions, public safety, conflicts among uses, or maintenance and administrative capacity. Commonly available public data sets, including aerial imagery, may be used as evidence that a physical route or airfield exists or existed at a time relevant under the definition adopted in the proposed rule, but would not by themselves establish that the feature is part of the forest transportation system, that the Forest Service has jurisdiction or sufficient legal access, or that it is open to a particular public use. The proposed access rule would require annual review of all trails, roads, airfields, trailheads, and other access routes and points that are closed or highly restricted. The proposed access rule would establish processes and conditions for limited off-route motor vehicle use and other motorized equipment for, among other things, downed big-game retrieval, firewood collection and dispersed camping, and for designating areas for over-snow and other motorized recreation.
The presumption embodied in the national policy would guide future decisions and would not itself change the legal status of any road, trail, airfield, trailhead, area, or other access route or point. Existing motor vehicle use designations and maps would remain in effect until revised under the amended regulations. The environmental impact statement will evaluate the impacts of the proposed rule revisions and study alternatives for managing public access, including the motorized and other forms of access addressed by the proposed rule, on National Forest System lands in the context of multiple-use resource management. USDA invites written comments on alternatives, effects, and relevant information, studies, or analyses related to the proposal.
The amended regulations would establish a presumption that existing roads, trails, airfields, trailheads, and other access routes and points on NFS lands are open to appropriate public use unless closure or restriction is required by applicable law, valid existing rights, or another governing instrument, or is supported by specific, documented and justifiable reasons based on science-based resource conditions, public safety, conflicts among uses, or maintenance and administrative capacity. More information can be found at: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/08/24/2026-17211/travel-management-national-forest-system-lands
Comments must be received in writing by September 23, 2026.
EPA UPDATING NEPA PROCEDURES-AEMA
Late last month, EPA published a proposed rule updating the agency’s NEPA regulations. EPA’s proposal incorporates changes to NEPA from recent federal legislation, Supreme Court decisions and executive orders. Changes include formalizing page limits, removing references to Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations that have been repealed, establishing a process for developing new categorical exclusions (CEs), and for adopting CEs used by other agencies, among other things.
FOREST SERVICE ISSUED FINAL RECORD OF DECISION FOR HERMOSA CRITICAL MINERALS PROJECT-AEMA
On July 7, the U.S. Forest Service issued the final Record of Decision for South32’s Hermosa Critical Minerals Project in southern Arizona, following years of environmental study, public input, Tribal and interagency consultation. The completion of the NEPA process paves the way for South32 to fully develop the project beyond its privately held land, including building ancillary infrastructure.
“As the first mining project to successfully advance through the FAST-41 program, South32’s Hermosa Project demonstrates that a coordinated, transparent, and predictable permitting process can deliver timely decisions while maintaining rigorous environmental review,” said American Exploration & Mining Association Executive Director, Mark Compton. “This decision provides much-needed certainty for investment, strengthens America’s domestic supply chain, and reinforces the importance of modernizing permitting processes to support projects that are vital to our nation’s economic and national security.”
CRITICAL MINERALS PILOT PROJECT LAUNCHED IN IDAHO-AEMA
Yesterday, Perpetua Resources, the U.S. Army, and the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) launched a new modular processing plant designed to demonstrate and help establish a secure, end-to-end domestic supply chain for antimony. Antimony is a critical mineral essential to U.S. national security and is used in products ranging from defense munitions and battery technologies to solar glass and flame retardants.
Located at the INL in Idaho Falls, the modular mineral pilot plant is designed to utilize antimony samples from Perpetua’s Stibnite Gold Project in central Idaho with the goal of demonstrating how to process high-quality antimony trisulfide for use in specialized military and industrial applications. “From the mountains of central Idaho to the national laboratories advancing America’s defense and energy capabilities, today’s milestone shows what’s possible when industry, government, and scientific innovation work together on practical domestic solutions,” said Jon Cherry, President & CEO of Perpetua Resources in a release announcing the opening of the plant.
ADVERTISING AND SALE LISTINGS
Editor’s note: Paid-up members of EOMA can place an ad in the newsletter. Contact Jan Alexander for information about advertising in the newsletter.
GOLD CLAIMS FOR SALE
Sale includes 6 placer claims (180 acres total) located on Elk Creek near Baker City. Sale also includes all the equipment and has a PoO with FS in place and A WPCF 600 permit that can be transferred. If interested, call Don at 509-860-1145 or email: donaldenright25@gmail.com
METAL FLOAT CELLS FOR SALE
There are 12 cells. These have been stored inside the Buffalo Mine Mill Building.
If interested call Tommy at 541-519-9611 or email me at tpartee46@gmail.com
MINING EQUIPMENT FOR SALE IN GRANITE
A 400-gallon water tank on a heavy duty trailer. There are hoses and a small Briggs & Stratton engine driving a 2” discharge pump. Mike (541) 755-5028 leave a message. Or (503) 266-5739. strimble@pinetel.com
EASTERN OREGON PLACER MINING CLAIMS WITH ESTABLISHED RESERVES
FOR SALE – Two 20-acre placer BLM mining claims in Baker County, Oregon. Located in an established placer gold district. Established reserves at a very conservative 75,000 cubic yards at a grade of 0.58 grams (0.0186 ounces per yard). Reserves can likely be increased by additional testing.
Claims include a current Notice of Intent for sampling and bulk sampling. Excellent year-round access from maintained county road adjacent to the property. Normal operating season is April to October and often longer. Perennial stream Clarks Creek flows through the Lone Pine Claim. Mining geologist report is available. $300,000, or trade for private property. Will consider terms. Send inquiries to mjawine@comcast.net
WANTED-GOLD
Gold Specimens and Gold nuggets, mostly from Oregon mines. Fair prices paid. Also selling Gold nugget jewelry, specimens, nuggets and more. For an interesting and informative experience explore www.northernnevadagold.com Call Robert 775-455-6470
MINING EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
STILL AVAILABLE- 3” flat hose, sluice, Honda pump, scraper, clean-up table, road runner screen, screen, diesel tank and pump, two slurry pumps, clean-up room equipment, and additional flat hose. I can send pictures and can provide details on this equipment. I am willing to discuss offers. Call Bill at 503-781-4393. E-mail me at dei@teleport.com .
MINING CLAIMS FOR SALE
STILL AVAILABLE-I still have an association placer claim 40-acres in size, Gold Midas Association, and a 20-acre placer claim, Gold Midas 2. These are on Wilson Creek near the confluence with Elk Creek. I have moved out of the area and thus, need to sell these claims. They are up to date with BLM. Jan Alexander has some maps and information that I sent her on the claims alx@ortelco.net . For a price, please e-mail me at Rob Browning, robbrowning70@gmail.com .
CAPITOL PROSPECTING-METAL DETECTING AND MINING SUPPLIES
We are located in Baker City at 2801 Broadway Street. We buy used equipment and sell both new and used equipment. Come in and see what we have, or call me at 503-269-8640. My e-mail is CapitolProspecting@hotmail.com.
We appreciate your business. Gary and Christina Earle
AMERICAN EXPLORATION & MINING ASSOCIATION
EOMA is a member of American Exploration & Mining Association, and many of our members are also individual members. American Exploration & Mining Association is a 128-year-old, 1,400-member, national association representing the minerals industry.
With members in 46 states, AEMA is the recognized national voice for exploration, the junior mining sector, maintaining access to public lands, and represents the entire mining life cycle, from exploration through production to reclamation and closure.
You can become a member of AEMA by going to their website at https://www.miningamerica.org