Vancouver — In a bid to save the habitat of bull trout and grizzly bears, the Rock Creek Alliance and Earth Justice have joined forces to delay permitting of the Rock Creek silver-copper project in northwestern Montana.
The company acquired the project in 1999 and over the next year completed environmental and related studies initiated by previous owner Asarco. The final environmental impact statement (EIS) was released jointly by the U.S. Forest Service and Montana’s Department of Environmental Quality in the summer of 2001.
The government agencies concluded the project posed “minimal risk” to the bull trout and grizzly populations, based in part on their own wildlife studies and water-quality monitoring programs. A record of decision for the mine was then issued by the permitting agencies.
The Rock Creek Alliance and other groups challenged Revett’s efforts to develop the mine based on the belief it would destroy water quality and “drive grizzly bears and bull trout into extinction.”
The groups took their case to court, and in late March 2005, a district-court judge ordered the agencies to review and consider the concerns raised by the mine’s opponents.
Contrary to some press reports, the courts and government agencies did not overturn Revett’s record of decision for the project. While the permitting agencies conduct their reviews, Revett will continue work needed in advance of driving the proposed adit at Rock Creek.
The company also plans to work with the permitting issues to resolve concerns raised by the Rock Creek Alliance and others. If a mine is developed, the company says it will increase the undisturbed acreage set aside for grizzly bear habitat, as required by its mitigation plan.
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