Calif. closes loophole allowing gold dredging

GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) — The state of California has closed a loophole that gold miners have been using to keep using suction dredges, despite a statewide moratorium.

Following through on a proposal from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Office of Administrative Law on Friday approved a new definition so miners can no longer split their dredges in two to keep mining.

Rich Krimm of the New 49ers gold mining club says businesses along the Klamath River will be in court Tuesday in Yreka, Calif., to ask a judge for a temporary restraining order. They are arguing the moratorium is hurting the local economy.

The moratorium bars the state from issuing new permits for suction dredges until it can show they do no harm to rivers, fish and tribal cultural sites.