Oppose President Obama's "Dirt Tax"

Tell Congress to help create jobs, Protect Our Economy and Oppose a $1.8 billion "Dirt Tax"

The "Dirt Tax" would not just be a tax on the amount of minerals produced, but a tax on dirt, rock and other materials moved during mining. This new tax threatens thousands of high-paying American mining jobs and has the potential to seriously harm the economic competitiveness of American mining by driving investments – and much needed to jobs - to other mineral producing countries.

We encourage you to use our form below to send a message to your representatives urging them to oppose the "Dirt Tax" that could destroy American jobs and harm our nation's economic growth.

Contact your Representative and make your voice heard!

Subject: Oppose the Dirt Tax

Dear Member of Congress:

I am writing to urge you to oppose a "dirt tax" proposed by President Obama. This proposed tax, currently being considered by the Congressional Super Committee, would not just be a tax on the amount of minerals produced, but a tax on dirt, rock and other materials moved during mining. According to the administration's estimates, this proposal would result in at least $1.8 billion of increased taxes. American mining generates more than 1.1 million direct and indirect jobs and contributes more than $2 Trillion to our nation's gross domestic product. The existing U.S. tax burden on mining already puts domestic mining at a significant competitive disadvantage compared to mining in other countries. The "dirt tax" would increase that competitive disadvantage and jeopardize domestic jobs and productivity. The tax would also harm the economy by increasing costs for users and consumers of mined products - everyone in the United States.

America's mining industry plays a vital role in fostering our nation's economic prosperity and meeting our nation's vast manufacturing and national security needs. From the ores and metals essential to America's manufacturing and construction industries to the non-metallic minerals used in agriculture as fertilizers, minerals produced right here in America are used in virtually every part of the our economy. Pharmaceuticals, essential electronics, telecommunications, medical processes and our national defense all depend on America's vast mineral wealth.

I urge you to contact your colleagues on the Super Committee and urge them to oppose the “dirt tax” that will harm America's economic growth. Thank you

Sincerely, Your name Your street address City, State Zip

Registered members, please log in.

* required

Email Address *

Prefix * Mr. Mrs. Ms. Miss Dr.

First Name *

Last Name *

Address 1 *

Address 2

City *

State * Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Postal Code *

This letter will be sent to:

Your Members of Congress

Additional Information

The "Dirt Tax", currently under consideration by the Congressional Super Committee, would be based on the tons of material (crude ore, waste, dirt) displaced by the mining operation. The tax would start out at the rate of 7.8 cents per ton of material displaced (for fiscal years 2012 through 2015) but could be increased after that – without apparent limit – at the discretion of the Secretary of the Interior. According to the administration’s estimates, this proposal, combined with other reforms, would result in at least $1.8 billion of increased taxes on domestic mining.

The United States mining industry plays an integral role in fostering continued American economic prosperity by producing strategic minerals for commercial use as cost-effective inputs for farms, factories and other job creators. Domestic mining products are used in virtually every part of the economy. Ores and metals are used in the production of capital goods for manufacturing and construction. Essential electronic, telecommunications and medical processes depend on metals. Non-metallic minerals are used in agriculture as fertilizers, in medicine as pharmaceuticals and in construction and other industrial processes.

The domestic mining industry generates more than 1.1 million direct and indirect jobs and contributes more than $2 Trillion to our gross domestic product. The existing U.S. tax burden on mining already puts the domestic mining industry at a significant competitive disadvantage compared to mining in other countries. The "dirt tax" would increase that competitive disadvantage and jeopardize domestic jobs and productivity and would also harm the economy by increasing costs for users and consumers of mined products – everyone in the United States.