NEWS ALERT: Dredgers left high and dry for the summer
Judge orders dredging ban settlement conference to continue in Sept. 4
By Brad Jones
After two days of negotiations, California Superior Court Judge Gilbert Ochoa has ordered the Mandatory Settlement Conference on the statewide dredging ban to continue in September.
The conference, which was closed to the public, was held June 24-25 in San Bernardino.
Among the plaintiffs and their attorneys on the pro-dredging side were Public Lands for the People, the New 49’ers and the Western Mining Alliance. Representatives for the anti-dredging faction were the Karuk Tribe, Center for Biological Diversity, California Department of Fish & Wildlife and the State of California.
PLP Vice-president Walt Wegner said that each attorney met with the judge privately, and then each plaintiff was given time to speak with Ochoa ‘one-on-one,’ but with their attorneys present in a casual setting in his chambers.
“It was very personal. In my opinion, it was surreal to address the judge without being in a courtroom. I am absolutely impressed with Judge Ochoa. He’s going above and beyond and he is being fair,” Wegner
said. “He listened. He heard me.”
At the end of the second day, the judge shortlisted all the points of contention between the all parties and ordered the continuance of the Mandatory Settlement Conference Sept. 4.
“This is going to be our starting point for negotiating a settlement,” Wegner said. “We got the impression the judge wants to see us back in the water through the Mandatory Settlement Conference.”
For updates and background information on the miners’ fight to end California’s statewide dredging ban, go to www.goldprospectors.org
Brad Jones is the Managing Editor/Communications Director for the Gold Prospectors Association of America and the Lost Dutchman’s Mining Association. He can be reached at bjones@goldprospectors.org