Hobbyist miner backs off Salmon River dredge plans
LEWISTON, Idaho (AP) -- A Grangeville miner who has angered environmentalists with plans to dredge for gold along a stretch of the Salmon River says he's no longer interested in the idea.
Mike Conklin says he is abandoning an exclusive lease granted to him by the state last month to dredge the riverbed downstream of Riggins.
Conklin told the Lewiston Tribune (http://bit.ly/QwZLoP ) he backing off because there is not enough gold in the riverbed to make the effort worth his time.
The Idaho Land Board approved a lease for Conklin despite objections from conservationists and anglers who argued the mining operation would harm fish habitat and water quality.
That decision prompted the Idaho Conservation League to sue the state for failing require Conklin to file a formal plan to reclaim the riverbed.
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Information from: Lewiston Tribune, http://www.lmtribune.com
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