Help Save Our Wild Salmon Heritage: Ban Suction Dredge Mining

We, the undersigned, urge the governments of Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska to ban the harmful practice of suction dredge mining.

Suction dredging for gold involves the disruption of compacted stream beds and underwater gravel deposits by dislodging materials and sucking them through a tube attached to a gasoline-powered water pump. These materials are sent through a sluice box and then discharged into waterways creating destructive silt plumes and debris piles.

The State of California has taken legislative actions to impose an indefinite ban on the damaging practices of recreational suction dredging and high banking for gold. This was intended to protect waterways, salmon, and steelhead from harm. While California’s position is commendable, its actions have caused many of these motorized prospectors to move northward to target rivers and streams in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska.

With salmon and steelhead populations struggling in all of these states, it is important that similar actions be taken in elsewhere in Cascadia. We urge you to encourage the legislatures, state agencies, and the federal entities operating within your states to take all possible legislative and enforcement actions to protect salmon and steelhead habitats from this unnecessary and destructive endeavor. Thank you for helping save our wild salmon heritage from further harm.

Governor John Kitzhaber
160 State Capitol
900 Court Street
Salem, Oregon 97301-4047

Governor Christine Gregoire
PO Box 40002
Olympia, WA 98504-0002

Governor Butch Otter
State Capitol
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720

Governor Sean Parnell
Alaska State Capitol Building
Third Floor
P.O. Box 110001
Juneau, AK 99811-0001