October is upon us and just as the seasons transition, so does CMA. The Board’s search committee is working hard to hire a new President to lead the organization. The first round of interviews have been completed and round two is scheduled. The Board hopes to have our new executive in place before the end of 2023.
In the meantime, the work of the CMA continues. Susan Raplee and a group of dedicated volunteers are steadily working through CMA materials moved from our former headquarters to catalog the items and preserve the history of the organization. With 147 years in business, this is no small feat!
The Water Quality and Government Affairs committees have had no shortage of topics for their meetings. Government Affairs Committee Vice Chair Jim Sanderson and CMA lobbyist Dianna Orf continue to engage on CMA’s behalf with the interim meetings and activities of the state legislature. And Water Quality Committee Chair Chantell Johnson has been supporting our membership with engagement on multiple state and federal issues impacting mining in Colorado. If you or your company have not participated in the committee meetings, I encourage you to do so. The committees are a great source of information about regulations in place, those being created through the legislative or rulemaking processes, and those just being conceptually discussed in a variety of other forums. They provide an unparalleled opportunity for CMA members to engage on the issues of the day and better understand their implications (and potential implications) on the daily operations of your business.
The hosts of the annual St. Barbara’s Day event, CMA, Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME) and Denver Gold Group, have decided to take a year off in 2023 as an opportunity to regroup and reimagine the event for 2024. We are, however, looking forward to the annual CMA legislative reception. Mark your calendar for Thursday, January 11, 2024, at the Brown Palace Hotel and watch this space for details to come. We traditionally have a great turnout by legislators, staff, and CMA members from across the state.
Finally, I encourage you all to learn more about the important work being done by the Colorado Mining Association Education Foundation. Minerals are the foundation for our modern lives and although we talk a good game about the need for a domestic mineral supply, even if we solve the permitting challenges at the state and federal levels, the industry still faces a shortage of talent. It is critical that we teach those who educate students in Colorado about the modern mining industry, the role minerals play in our society, and the opportunities ahead for their students. Without educating them, we can’t expect today’s students to make informed decisions tomorrow about our ability to do business. You know the drill… if it can’t be grown, it must be mined. And with the mineral endowment in Colorado, for goodness’ sake, it should be mined right here!
Be safe, enjoy the cooler temperatures, and stay in touch about how CMA can serve you.
Lorna Shaw
Chair, Board of Directors
Colorado Mining Association
