Mining is a critically important economic activity in the United States. But despite its importance, the legal framework within which mining occurs is unfamiliar to most environmental lawyers, citizens, and policymakers. In large part, this is because regulation of hard rock mining is driven by state--rather than federal--laws. Hard Rock Mining: State Approaches to Environmental Protection examines environmental regulation of hard rock (metallic and industrial mineral) mining in seven, key western states. This "case-study" approach provides the reader with a clear picture of the state of the art in environmental regulation of mining.

Hard Rock Mining: State Approaches to Environmental Protection

McElfish Jr., James M.

Environmental & Natural Resources Law

Environmental Law Institute

Nature-Friendly Ordinances will help communities take affirmative steps to conserve and restore those biodiversity features of their environment that add value regionally and locally. It is intended for all local decisionmakers that deal with land use—planning staff, planning and zoning boards, local legislative boards, and property owners. Land use ordinances—including planning, zoning, and subdivision regulations—often must address issues of habitat conservation, ecological function, watershed management, and conservation of diverse plants and animals. Unfortunately, many elected officials and land use planners understand these objectives far less than economic development strategies, community design, and fiscal policy. There has been a longstanding disconnect between biological understanding and land use regulation. 
Local ordinances can contribute substantially to the conservation of biodiversity by supporting the creation and maintenance of conditions of ecological health on the local landscape. The lessons of ecology and conservation biology can enable local decisionmakers to use their familiar land use tools more effectively in making their development and redevelopment more "nature-friendly." 
Nature-Friendly Ordinances, provides key features to help ordinance drafters integrate these considerations into their actions that affect land use. It defines the basic ecological guidelines that should guide land use decisionmaking by local governments. It identifies sources of biodiversity information and explains how local governments can tailor familiar types of local land use regulations to apply the ecological principles. Finally, the book provides examples of specific local governments that have used these land use tools.

Nature-Friendly Ordinances (Environmental Law Institute)

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by McElfish Jr., James M.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by McElfish Jr., James M.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by McElfish Jr., James M.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Hard Rock Mining: State Approaches to Environmental Protection

Nature-Friendly Ordinances (Environmental Law Institute)