BLM announces annual reclamation and sustainable mineral development award winners for 2017
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WASHINGTON – The Bureau of Land Management today recognized three hardrock mining companies and a recreational organization for advancing the use of sustainable development practices in their work. The awards were presented by BLM Acting Director Michael D. Nedd at a joint BLM – Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement annual awards event hosted by the National Mining Association.
“The BLM works to support America’s energy dominance through environmentally responsible development,” said Nedd. “This year’s winners exemplify these objectives, having demonstrated outstanding initiative, leadership and environmental responsibility without compromising the needs of future generations.”
The BLM’s 2017 awards went to companies in three different categories of achievement:
- Teck American, Inc., of Spokane, Washington, won the Hardrock Mineral Environmental Award, which recognizes an operator’s accomplishments in environmental stewardship, including meeting or exceeding federal, state, or local reclamation requirements.
- XII Caesars Gold, LLC of Snowmass, Colorado, won the Hardrock Mineral Small Operator Award, which acknowledges environmental stewardship successes of operators with fewer than 15 employees.
- Tertiary Minerals US, Inc., of Reno, Nevada, and a subsidiary of Tertiary Minerals of the United Kingdom, was also recognized with a Hardrock Mineral Small Operator Award.
- Havasu 4 Wheelers of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, won the “Fix a Shaft Today!” Award, which recognizes active participation in the FAST! Campaign, a partnership initiative aimed at eliminating unsafe abandoned mine land features including open mine shafts.
Nominations for the BLM hardrock mineral awards were first screened by BLM state office officials, who forwarded applications to the agency’s headquarters for referral to a panel of judges, which generally include mining experts, federal or state employees, academics, and members of the public. For more information on the awardees, see this link here: https://go.usa.gov/xnbyC. A video about the awardees can be found at this link: https://youtu.be/gICBdursXj4. Photos of the awardees can be found at the following link: https://flic.kr/s/aHsm5Sr9eA.
Previous award winners can be found here: 2014, 2015 and 2016.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.