Aging mining law handcuffs the American West
Originally published in High Country News (June 12, 2012). Reprinted with permission. By Ben Long Two of my favorite western cities, Tucson, Ariz., and Boise, Idaho, share some common blessings and one common curse. The blessings include lovely mountain backdrops, vibrant universities and increasingly diverse economies. The shared curse: badly misguided mining claims upstream. Why, in…