Oregon Public Broadcasting 6/1/2012
Excerpt:   “The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Friday that the Forest Service must strengthen its regulation of suction dredge gold mining and other small-scale mining operations, in salmon streams throughout the western United States.

In the past, smaller-scale recreational miners have been given access to federal forests to search for gold in stream gravels under a streamlined notification process. That process was in violation of the Endangered Species Act, the court ruled.  …”
Read entire story at http://earthfix.opb.org/water/article/court-rules-for-new-regulation-of-gold-mining-in-w/