Hardrock mining, nuclear energy advocate Craig resigns Senate seat

[bananas]

http://www.mineweb.net/mineweb/view/mineweb/en/page60?oid=26472&sn=Detail

MINING CAN STILL RELY ON REID, DOMINICI
Hardrock mining, nuclear energy advocate Craig resigns Senate seat

As one of western hardrock mining's most powerful allies announced his resignation from the U.S. Senate, an FBI investigation of Alaska officials could further shrink the ranks of mining supporters.

Author: Dorothy Kosich
Posted: Sunday , 02 Sep 2007

RENO, NV -

Under siege in an airport bathroom sex solicitation scandal, Idaho Senator Larry Craig, one of western hardrock mining's staunchest supporters, declared Saturday that he would resign from the U.S. Senate effective September 30.

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The senior senator had successfully fought for years against House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall, D-West Virginia, to substantially revise the 1872 Mining Law. During his 28-year career in the House and the Senate, Craig had participated in federal legislation on behalf of the Northwest Mining Association, the National Mining Association and other mining groups. He was also an advocate of the development of domestic nuclear power.

Despite the loss of Craig, western hardrock miners still can rely on über-powerful Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, and the formidable Sen. Pete Dominici, R-New Mexico, Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, for help in the upcoming Mining Law reform battle.

Craig was also among the strongest defenders of another mining advocate Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, now under investigation by the FBI in the VECO oil pipeline corruption probe. The FBI is also investigating why Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, another powerful western hardrock mining supporter, slipped a $10 million earmark into a federal highway bill for a road in Florida near property owned by a major campaign donor.