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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2001

A Nevada company whose gold mine was denied by former Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt on Thursday welcomed the Bush administration's decision to rescind the legal opinion that formed the basis for that rejection.

Glamis Gold. said Secretary Gale Norton has concurred with Solicitor Bill Myers' decision to rescind the legal opinion. The opinion assured Babbitt he would be able to reject the proposed project because it would cause harm to land considered sacred to the Quechan Tribe.

Although Babbitt made his decision in January, the last month of the Clinton administration, the legal opinion was drafted in December 1999.

Norton on Thursday also released new hardrock mining regulations that environmentalists criticed as less stringent than the ones finaliezd by Babbitt.

Get the Story:
New Mining Regulations Overturn Late Clinton Rules (The Washington Post 10/26)
Overhaul of mining law called 'sham reform' (The Seattle Post-Intelligencer 10/26)
Bush White House Reverses Clinton Decision on Mining (The New York Times 10/26)
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Get the Leshy Opinion:
M-36999: Regulation of Hardrock Mining (December 27, 1999)

Get the Babbitt Decision:
Record of Decision for the Imperial Project Gold Mine Proposal Imperial County, California (January 2001)

Indianz.Com Profile:
Solicitor: Bill G. Myers (3/30)

Relevant Links:
Office of the Solicitor - http://www.ost.doi.gov/sol
Glamis - http://www.glamis.com
The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation - http://www.achp.gov

Related Stories:
Bush nominee has no 'agenda' on Clinton decisions (6/21)
Norton confirmed by 'landslide' (1/31)
Babbitt denies Calif. gold mine (1/19)
BLM recommends mine rejection (11/10)