The harm done by suction dredging is well documented by scientists and government agencies. “We intend to enforce the law ourselves if the state won't.” “Suction dredge miners are killing endangered salmon and polluting our waterways and it needs to stop,” said Gabriel Scott, in-house counsel for Cascadia Wildlands. Suction dredge mining also threatens important cultural resources important to American Indians. Miners target gravel beds critical to salmon spawning and reproduction and pollute waterways with sediment and toxic mercury and heavy metals in their search for gold. Suction dredge mining uses large, gas-powered vacuums to suck up gravel on the bottom of rivers and streams in search of gold flakes. “This is a dirty, outdated form of mining that our families, waterways and wildlife shouldn't be subjected to.” “Suction dredge mining pollutes our waterways with toxic mercury, clouds streams with sediment, kills endangered fish and destroys irreplaceable cultural resources that are important to all Washingtonians,” said Jonathan Evans, environmental health legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity. Conservation and fisheries groups have also introduced bills in the state legislature to better monitor and regulate suction dredge mining. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife approves the harmful recreational gold-mining technique in rivers throughout the state that are home to numerous imperiled fish species. OLYMPIA, Wash.- Conservation groups filed a notice of intent today to sue the state of Washington for allowing highly destructive suction dredge mining in rivers and streams critical to endangered salmon and steelhead. Harmful Gold-mining Method Already Restricted in California, Oregon Jonathan Evans, Center for Biological Diversity, (510) 844-7118, Scott, Cascadia Wildlands, (907) 491-0856), Launched to Protect Washington Rivers, Salmon From Destructive Suction Dredge Mining
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