COMMENTARY — Taking care of the environment: A step-by-step

The New World project of Crown Butte Resources in Montana, where underground geological reserves are estimated at eight million tons averaging 0.21 oz. gold per ton, is scheduled to enter production in 1996. Ian Atkinson of Hemlo Gold Mines, which has a 60% interest in Crown Butte, spoke of the project at Hemlo’s 1993 annual meeting:

The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process, which is required by state and federal law, reviews alternative operating plans, potential impacts and methods of mitigating these impacts.

The Montana Department of State Lands and the U.S. Forest Service are responsible for conducting public scoping meetings, writing the EIS document and issuing decisions.

The EIS process appears quite complex. However, it can be broken down into a number of quite manageable steps.

First, the Application for Hard Rock Operating Permit and the Proposed Plan of Operations must be considered complete. This was achieved in early April of this year.

The Montana Department of State Lands and the U.S. Forest Service are the co-lead agencies in the process. The agencies retain an independent, third-party consultant, paid by Crown Butte, to assist in the process. Next, the agencies prepare the scoping document which determines what is going to be evaluated in the EIS process. This is currently under way. Public comment meetings have already been scheduled for late May in Livingstone, Mont., and Cody, Wyo. Following this, significant environmental issues must be identified. The agencies will then analyse the impact of the proposed plan, identify alternatives and compare alternatives.

The next step is to select the preferred alternative, then produce the draft EIS which must incorporate a biological assessment. Following this, there is another opportunity for public comment.

After this comes preparation of the final EIS. A Record of Decision will then be rendered and permits will be issued which will include any mitigation requirements.

So the process is not really as complex as it might appear.

Because numerous meetings have already been held with the agencies and environmental groups during the past two years, we consider it unlikely that any new environmental issues will be presented. . . . We believe the draft document can be prepared by the agencies in about 10 months.