PM 9028 DOGM wants people to inventory and research mines

[rhartill]

DOGM UT released this bid yesterday soliciting teams, companies, partnerships, etc interested in being considered for future DOGM contracts to inventory, research, and help them close mines. The bid can be viewed here:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/13055103/PM-9028

Page 9 of this document speaks of a metal ore mining district [without identifying said district] located in central Millard County about 40 miles from Delta that they have identified as needing closures. The bidders are supposed to design a work plan for an inventory of this project. My best guess for the identity of this is either Frisco or Spor Mountain. Of course, the scenario listed on this page could be an amalgam of several districts and totally fictitious. OR it could be a hint as to what the DOGM is up to next.
Another wierd quirk in this bid request is the statement that "entering mines is dangerous" and CONTRACTOR shall NOT enter ANY mine EXCEPT to conduct a bat survey. So, DOGM wants people to inventory mines but NOT enter them...unless you are counting bats, then you CAN....

[ExpUt]

Interesting find Russ. Corey Schuman his literally having lunch with the DOGM reps as we speak, I'm very interested to see what he comes away with.

[rhartill]

any news on the results of the lunch meeting?

[trentaiken]

Perhaps an approach would be to introduce bats to the mines they are going to close.

[konigstigerii]

I like the way you think... now to find some bats...

[trentaiken]

I would be willing to go with someone from Mojave to Division of Wildlife Resource and discuss a partnership with them where we would be willing, as part of our explorations, to transport some of the endangered and rare Utah bats to mine sites in order to better propagate their species and ensure their survival which in the meantime will ensure preservation of these mine sites. This of course will be with the understanding that we will respect not entering mines during sensitive times for bats, we would like to only target mines that are not very accessible during the sensitive mines anyhow. (we could negotiate other items also, who knows, we could end up as a sub contractor to the Division and get the fight between DOGM and the Division rather than us. When in the environmental position in mining we sometimes did this with birds of prey, leverage, we need leverage.

[trentaiken]

dwrcdc.nr.utah.gov/ucdc/ViewReports/bats.pdf

[Stuart]

You know Trent I think you may have something there. We are in the mines anyway, with a little training we would be able to properly identify bat species. I think the Division of Wildlife Resource would be interested just for the simple fact of having more trained eyes underground to check on bat species. I'd be willing to go with you, we should meet somewhere and discuss strategy first and then head over there.

[trentaiken]

That would be cool, it wold have to be next week sometime. I am currently in Florida at a convention, daytona beach, nothing but work work work ya know!

[Stuart]

Well I have an update on the bat idea, according to the DOGM none of the bat species in Utah are currently on the endangered list. So I dunno what kind of leverage we could pull relocating bats that are not currently endangered.

[Mikezauner]

But that's according to the DOGM. The same ones that marked every mine in Utah as a hazard.

I say we should look for ourselves.

[TooeleCherokee]

Well I have an update on the bat idea, according to the DOGM none of the bat species in Utah are currently on the endangered list. So I dunno what kind of leverage we could pull relocating bats that are not currently endangered.

that has to be crap.. I know that they closed access to some Caves up near Logan because of the bat population and the advent of stupid people.

[trentaiken]

If you take a look at the PDF file I posted, they had a couple of endangered Bats listed. I think it is not only a concern of declining Bat populations but declining areas.

Just logically thinking about it, DOGM is telling a lie. If there are not any endangered Bats, and therefore not a concern, then why do they require a Bat survey before closing?

Don't even hint to DOGM what we are thinking. The best way to defeat their drive is on their own turf. If we can introduce a factor that prevents them from closing then it is no longer a tiny group against the government but DOGM against all the groups that have an interest in endangered species.

Another attack approach may be seeing what it takes to get a mine listed on the historical register

[one_bad_rover]

Historical Register apparenty has no effect on the decision to close. Copper Globe proved this. They still claim they are mitigating the potential problem. Although, as I brought up to the BLM guy, all of the sites we attempted to register in Ophir were rejected due to reclamation. Once the work was done the sites were no longer historical and therefore no longer eligible.

[trentaiken]

Ok, well.. Back to the bats then. I noted in another link that Utah is home to Protected Species, anyone game to go next week an go explore this at the Department of Natural Resources?