We Need To Maintain And Strengthen Our Mining Laws-A Personal View

The battle between environmentalists and multi national mining companies in our country continues to heat up with little change in tactics. The EPA is attacked as a job killing agency. Environmentalists are out gunned when trying to finance public awareness to the pollution of our lands, and mining companies open their coffers to politicians who will do their bidding.
We have the strongest mining regulations in the world and when we see what is happening in the rest of the world's mining communities, we should feel proud.
Yet instead of embracing new technologies and cleaner methods of extraction, some would prefer to continue to fight against change and instead try to weaken the standard we have created for miners and our environment for the sake of a few dollars more.
How long will it be before we start to see protests and demonstrations that mimic other parts of the world where extractive policies have devestated their land, water and air to the point of being uninhabitable?
It never seems as serious a problem as it is to the general public until it's too late.
There is a balance between these two agendas that can be achieved where we can mine minerals in a safe way without killing our environment.
It will take a commitment from the citizens who live here to demand their voices be heard over the noise created by mining interest cash flowing into the hands of willing politicians at every level.