Southern Oregon and Northern California's Smith River could be temporarily protected from mining by a maneuver proposed by the Bureau of Land Management.
BLM plans to withdraw roughly 100,000 acres of public land from mining in Curry and Josephine Counties, including land considered for a major nickel mine.
The proposed five-year withdrawal would give Congress members--including Oregon's PeterDeFazio--a chance to pass legislation withdrawing the land permanently.
Rep. DeFazio joins us with the short-term and long-term plans for the land.