We are proud and wowed by the hundreds of Montanans who braved the weather to attend four public hearings and voice concerns about the mine being proposed in the headwaters of the iconic Smith River!
Read the recent op-ed summarizing the four public hearings by Executive Director of Montana Trout Unlimited, David Brooks.
Way to go clean water and river lovers. The last time an agency tallied that many public comments on a river issue in Montana, it led to the removal of the Milltown Dam. Protecting the Smith is every bit as important. This fight isn’t over. Stay tuned.
On November 6th in Helena, concerned sportsmen and women, guides, outfitters, business owners and citizens showed up to let their voices be heard at the third public hearing on the proposed copper mine at the headwaters of the Smith River Around 200 people were in attendance with more than 30 offering oral comments on the project. This was the third of four public hearings, with opponents continuing to outnumber proponents.
Hours before the meeting opponents of the mine towed drift boats and rafts sporting “No Smith River Mine” signs around the Capitol. Opponents lined the northern edge of the grounds and displayed signs on the front steps of the Capitol to send a message to the Governor that this proposed foreign owned mine is bad for Montana.
Watch the Helena press coverage on the event.
The fourth and final hearing will be held in Livingston at the Park County High School Gymnasium from 6-9:00pm.
Sign up to catch a bus to Helena from Bozeman or Missoula to attend Montana DEQ Public Hearing on the Black Butte Copper Mine or tow your boat to the Capitol and join our boat procession and rally on the Capitol lawn. Learn more and sign up here.
More than 100 people attended a meeting at the Great Falls Civic Center on Monday about a controversial copper mine proposed in Meagher County.
About 30 people spoke, with the majority raising concerns about the environmental impacts of the mine, called Black Butte Copper project.
You can read more about it in the Great Falls Tribune here.
Public hearings coming up:
White Sulphur Springs High School Wednesday.
Radisson Colonial Hotel, Helena, Nov. 6.
Park County High School, Livingston, Nov. 7.
All meetings are 6 to 9 p.m.