The Smith River is more valuable than copper

“In issuing this permit, we believe state regulators are dismissing the concerns of business owners, landowners and most of us who care about the Smith. Folks who would be directly impacted by the damage this mine could cause to Sheep Creek, the Smith River, its Blue-Ribbon trout fishery and the $10 million a year it contributes to Montana’s economy.”

Read the concerns of the Smith Rive Outfitters in the June 10, 2020 op-ed.

 

Conservation groups challenge Smith River mine permit

On June 4, 2020 Montana Trout Unlimited, Montana Environmental Information Center, Trout Unlimited, Earthworks, and American Rivers filed a lawsuit in state district court challenging the mine operating permit approved by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), alleging a failure to conduct a thorough environmental analysis and ignoring over 12,000 public comments opposing the mine.

Read press release here.

Technical comments on the Smith Mine draft EIS

We appreciate the opportunity to comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Black Butte Copper Project. MTU also appreciates the time constraints that state law compels upon the DEQ to complete this DEIS. Those constraints are one reason for the many problems and gaps in the DEIS. Regardless of those constraints and the deficiencies within this DEIS, it’s clear that the risks this mine poses to water resources warrants our full support of the “No Action” alternative.

You can read our MTU-TU Smith Mine dEIS comments  here