Published: Thursday, June 23, 2011, 12:58 PM     Updated: Thursday, June 23, 2011, 12:59 PM
 By Scott Learn, The Oregonian

Southwest Oregon gold miner Clifford R. Tracy has been charged a second time with illegally mining near a sensitive salmon stream, this time on U.S. Bureau of Land Management property along Galice Creek. 

In 2009, Tracy was convicted for illegally mining on Forest Service land along Sucker Creek, like Galice home to Oregon coastal coho salmon listed under the Endangered Species Act. He has applied to mine that same spot again. 

The latest charge from the U.S. Attorney's Office of Oregon stems from Tracy's operations on the Stray Dog mining claim near Grants Pass. Tracy, 39, of Gold Hill, is due to appear in U.S. District Court on the misdemeanor charge this afternoon. 

In an affidavit backing the charge, William Finch, a BLM law enforcement officer, said Tracy filed a notice of intent in February to mine the claim as on operator for owners John Adams and Mike Swales. The BLM asked him to submit a more formal plan of operations in May, the affidavit says, but Tracy did not respond.
 
 

Read more ...