Montanore Project EIS

From the Missoulian: "The U.S. Forest Service has released a draft environmental impact statement for a proposal to mine copper and silver beneath northwestern Montana's Cabinet Mountains Wilderness, a project that would occupy a slice of prime grizzly bear country and has critics forming a new group."

The draft environmental impact statement for the Montanore Project has been posted on the Kootenai National Forest website. The public comment period runs through May 28, 2009.

Source: Gallagher, S. (28 Feb. 2009). "Draft EIS released for Cabinet mine." Missoulian.

Excess Spoil Minimization/Stream Buffer Zone Rule

From the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) press release: "The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) announced today its plans to publish a new Federal rule that places new restrictions on how coal mine operators can dispose of coal mine waste and the excess spoil created by the mining operation. The rule also requires that mine operators avoid disturbing perennial and intermittent streams to the extent possible and clarifies when mine operators must maintain an undisturbed buffer between the mine and adjacent streams."

The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) website includes a summary of the final rule (and how it differs from the proposed rule), the related Environmental Impact Statement, and the text of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977.

The proposed rule was initially issued on January 7, 2004. Public comment on the rule and related documents have been posted on the Regulations.gov website, attached to docket OSM-2007-0007 and RIN 1029-AC04. The review of the final rule conducted by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (part of the President's Office of Management and Budget) has been posted on the RegInfo.gov website. The Regulations.gov site includes the EPA Concurrence Letter approving of the final regulation. The final rule should be published in the Federal Register in the near future.

Source: Eilperin, J. (3 Dec. 2008). "Rule Would Ease Mining Debris Disposal: Environmentalists Fear Streams Will Be Harmed." Washington Post. A06.

Abandoned Mine Lands in the Department of the Interior

From the Associated Press: "The government has endangered the public's health and safety by failing to clean up abandoned mines on federal land in the West, according to a scathing audit released Friday."

The Department of the Interior Office of Inspector General issued the audit on Abandoned Mine Lands in the Department of the Interior (PDF version).

Source: Werner, E., Associated Press, (25 July 2008). "Audit finds serious hazards from abandoned mines." CNBC.com

Outer Continental Shelf Drilling

From the Washington Post: "President Bush yesterday lifted a presidential ban on offshore oil drilling on the Outer Continental Shelf that was implemented by his father, escalating a confrontation with Democrats in Congress over how to cope with soaring gas prices."

President Bush issued a Memorandum for the Secretary of the Interior modifying the earlier restrictions on Outer Continental Shelf leasing. The President explained the action in a speech and fact sheet.

Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne issued a statement in response to the President's memo. Additional information on Offshore Energy Development is available on the Department of the Interior website.

Former President George H.W. Bush issued a statement on June 26, 1990, on Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas development.

Source: Eggen, D., and Mufson, S. (15 July 2008). "Bush Rescinds Father's Offshore Oil Ban: Drilling Still Blocked by Congressional Edict." Washington Post. A08

Troy Mine Accident Report

From the Missoulian: "Michael Ivins died deep in the Troy Mine last summer because mine management failed to properly shore up the rock roof, despite repeated warnings of dangerous conditions.

"That's the conclusion of federal mine inspectors, who released their final report on Ivins' death Wednesday."

The final report of the July 30, 2007, "fatal fall of ground accident" at the Troy Mine is available on the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) website. A shorter, preliminary bulletin on the accident with best practices for the prevention of future accidents is also on the site.

Source: Jamison, M. (24 Jan. 2008). "Troy Mine found at fault in death." Missoulian. A1.

Rock Creek Project

From the Missoulian: "A controversial mining plan to tunnel beneath the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness north of Noxon has passed a 'significant milestone'."

The Kootenai National Forest issued a letter of determination notifying Revett Minerals, Inc. "that they may conduct surface disturbing activities as authorized by their Plan of Operations after all the applicable conditions have been met as outlined in the Kootenai's Record of Decision (ROD) with respect to the Evaluation Audit."

Additional information on the Rock Creek Project, including supplemental information reports on fisheries and wildlife, the record of decision, and final biological opinions, are available on the Kootenai National Forest website.

Revett Minerals has a website devoted to the Rock Creek Project which includes permitting documents and technical reports.

Source: Jamison, M. (19 Dec. 2007). "Rock Creek mine clears hurdle." Missoulian. A1.

Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007

From the House Committee on Natural Resources press release: "For only the third time in history since enactment of the Mining Law of 1872, the House Natural Resources Committee today approved comprehensive legislation to reform the antiquated law that has governed hardrock mining on public lands."

You can read the text of the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007, H.R. 2262, or track its progress through THOMAS. The full committee markup of the bill, with details of changes the committee made to the bill, is available on the House Committee on Natural Resources website.

Source: Straub, N. (24 Oct. 2007). "House panel OKs bill imposing mining royalties." Billings Gazette.

Hearing on Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007

From the Missoulian: "Members of Congress heard about the problems of abandoned mines in Montana and considered how best to begin charging royalties for mining on federal lands at a hearing Tuesday on potential changes to 1872 hardrock mining law."

The Subcommittee On Energy And Mineral Resources of the House Natural Resources Committee held a hearing on H.R. 2262, the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007, which pertains to mining royalties and abandoned mine reclamation. Details on the hearing, including prepared statements from witnesses, are available on the committee website.

Source: Straub, N. (3 Oct. 2007). "House panel hears testimony on abandoned Montana mines." Missoulian. A5.

Minerals Management Service Audit

From the Billings Gazette: "Management problems at the federal agency charged with collecting $8 billion a year from companies drilling on public land have become so severe that the agency appears to be held together with a 'Band-Aid approach, a new report found."

The report from the Department of the Interior Inspector General, "Minerals Management Service: False Claims Allegation," is available on the OIG website. The report is also available as a text file.

Source: Straub, N. (27 Sept. 2007). "Report blasts U.S. agency for minerals." Billings Gazette.

Powder River Basin Coal Report

From the Helena Independent Record: "The Powder River Basin in Wyoming and Montana is the largest known coal deposit in the United States with an estimated 550 billion tons of federally owned coal in the ground, but only 1.5 percent of it is currently available for mining, according to a new federal report."

The new report, "Inventory of Assessed Federal Coal Resources and Restrictions to Their Development," has been posted on the Department of Energy website. A Bureau of Land Management press release offers a summary of the report.

Source: Moen, Bob. "Federal report reviews coal production restrictions." Helena Independent Record September 7, 2007.

Mike Horse Dam Removal

From the Missoulian: "An unstable dam and its contaminated mine waste near the Blackfoot River headwaters must be removed and corporate money should pay the bill, the U.S. Forest Service said Tuesday in a victory for environmental groups."

Information on the Mike Horse Dam removal and restoration of the Upper Blackfoot Mining Complex is available on the Helena National Forest website. The website includes the final Engineering Evaluation Cost Analysis (EE/CA) and earlier documents in the process.

Source: Gallagher, Susan. "Forest Service: Remove Mike Horse Dam." Missoulian July 25, 2007. B1.

Mining Law Reform Legislation

From the Billings Gazette: "A key House chairman introduced legislation Thursday to overhaul the 1872 mining law and require companies to pay an 8 percent royalty on gold, uranium and other minerals taken from public lands."

You can follow the progress of H.R. 2262, "To modify the requirements applicable to locatable minerals on public domain lands, consistent with the principles of self-initiation of mining claims, and for other purposes," through THOMAS. Representative Rahall's statement introducing the measure begins on page E1012 of the Congressional Record.

Source: Straub, Noelle. "New bill seeks royalties from mineral mines." Billings Gazette May 11, 2007.

Proposed Mine in Southeast British Columbia

From the Missoulian: " A controversial proposal to mine coal north of Glacier National Park continues to generate downstream concern, prompting public meetings in both Kalispell and Missoula this month.

"Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer and Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., will attend the first of those meetings, set for Monday morning in Kalispell. Organizers will collect comments on the scope of environmental assessment needed before a Canadian coal mine can be built in southeastern British Columbia."

You can learn more about this proposed mine through several sources. The Flathead Basin Commission has a website for the Cline Mine project. The site includes a summary of the issues, terms of reference documents, maps, and news updates.

The Cline Mining Corporation website includes a project page for the Lodgepole Coal Project. The page links to the company's February 2006 technical report.

The British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office (B.C. EAO) offers a wealth of information about this project. The Lodgepole Coal Mine Project page provides links to the draft Terms of Reference, details about the open house and comment process, and links to related reports and correspondence.

Comments on the draft Terms of Reference may be emailed to the B.C. EAO at eaoinfo@gov.bc.ca.

Sources: Jamison, Michael. "Montanans can comment on Canadian mine." Missoulian January 14, 2007. B1.
Jamison, Michael. "State to seek federal intervention on Canadian coal mine." Missoulian January 16, 2007. A1.