Dedicated To Preserving The Rights Of The Public To Access And Use Of Public Lands

Dedicated To Preserving The Rights Of The Public To Access And Use Of Public Lands

The Past Is Our Heritage

The Present Is Our Responsibility

The Future Is Our Challenge

For the last twelve years PLP and its members have fought with CalTrans and the U.S.F.S. in our endeavor to reopen Highway 39 through the Forest to Highway 2. (Angeles Crest Highway) for safety purposes.  Our success in getting the road repaired has come back to be a lifesaver on two occasion.  The most recent one was where some 8,000 people were evacuated over the recently repaired road to escape the CURVE Fire in the Angeles National Forest.  This was the only escape route available!

PLP had the no-trespassing signs removed in the Tahoe National forest.  A rafting group, to help discourage entry by anyone other that rafters, had put up the signs.

PLP had an erroneous sign removed from Highway 49 in the Tahoe National Forest.  The U.S.F.S. had put up a sign stating “the North Fork of the Yuba River teamed with Salmon until the Miners arrived and depleted the Salmon population.”  This was untrue, since the installation of the Dams was deemed the responsible party.

PLP is assisting a pro per on a Mineral Exam challenge from the U.S.F.S. on the Smith River in the Six Rivers National Forest.  This has been a ten-year project and the first hearing is scheduled for April of 2003.  This claim is one of only three left on the river due to reclassification of the river to “Wild & Scenic & Recreational” status.

PLP, CORVA & AMA District 37 joined together to bring Amicus status to the off road and mining community in a lawsuit filed against the B.L.M by the Center for Biodiversity.  This suit was an agreement between the B.L.M and the Center to close millions of acres of land in the Desert’s of California.  The Judge signed the agreement, but stated that the B.L.M could not use the court order or his signature to close anything.  The B.L.M was put in a position to have to go through all of their normal procedures to close anything. In the past the B.L.M. and others had circumvented their procedures and used the court order to close many areas.  PLP is still assisting a pro per litigant (Bob Arnold) in the 9^th Circuit of Appeals on the various desert closures.

PLP assisted pro per litigants in the Center for Biological Diversity’s laws suit against the four southern California Forests.  The Judge made the same ruling as in the B.L.M. case.  The agency must go through all of its procedures before closing any areas.

PLP has assisted Don Eno in his occupancy case along with Tim Zindel, Public defender in Sacramento.  Mr. Eno was acquitted of the charges.  It appears that the U.S.F.S. has been citing people on a policy instead of a law, when it comes to occupancy for more than 30 days on a mining claim.

PLP is also assisting a pro per (Clark Pearson) in a Declatory relief suit against Plumas National Forest. This is also an issue of occupancy on a mining claim.  The U.S.F.S. will not be able to get this case dismissed and we will have an answer to the occupancy problem!  Mr. Pearson is also being assisted on another pro per case on the upper Slate Creek project of the U.S.F.S. in Plumas National Forest.  This case is about the U.S.F.S. and the Public as to equity.  If You can’t do it without an Environmental Impact Study, then neither can the Forest Service.

PLP & GPAA (Gold Prospectors of American) have recently joined forces and are assisting a pro per litigant (Dee Stapp) in her lawsuit against the Department of Interior and the B.L.M. on their new 43 CFR 3809 regulations.  She is attempting to get the new regulations changed back to the Old Casual Use definition along with the statement that Gas Dry washers would be covered under Casual Use and their would be no bond required.

This is a brief list of PLP’s accomplishments, there are far to many to list, however PLP will continue to assist on projects of this same nature.  Please feel free to keep PLP informed of any abuses that you may experience, and maybe we can assist.

 

Thank you,

Jerry Hobbs

President of PLP

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