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Save Our
Cabinets was formed to educate the public about the impacts of
the proposed Montanore mine.
Our mission is to protect wild lands, wildlife, and water quality
in the Cabinet Mountains of northwestern Montana, especially the
Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area.
If you
are interested in becoming a member or would like more
information, we can be reached at:
Save Our Cabinets
P.O. Box 152
Heron, MT 59844
406-544-1494
info@saveourcabinets.org
The Montanore Mine
Map of Cabinets and Site of Mine
The proposed Montanore mine is an underground copper/silver project
18 miles south of Libby, Montana that would be constructed on lands
in the Kootenai National Forest. Similar to the proposed Rock Creek
mine, Montanore would extract ore from beneath the mountains,
meadows, and alpine lakes of the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness. The
project would include a discharge of untreated water from the mine
cavity, significant impacts to three threatened species and their
habitat, and the diversion of a perennial stream. Other elements of
the project include a land application of mine wastewater and the
creation of a mountain of tailings that will be contained behind a
massive dam. Surface facilities also would include a milling
facility and support structures.
Mine’s Management, Inc., of Spokane, WA is the company seeking a
permit to construct and operate the mine. The U.S. Forest Service
and Montana Department of Environmental Quality are the agencies
charged with reviewing the mining company’s proposed operating plan
and applications for permits.
1) Dewatering
One of the most significant impacts of the Montanore mine is the
diversion of ground water in the region of the mine into the mined
out void. This alteration of the region’s hydrology would have
serious consequences for alpine lakes and streams, including many
inside the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness. It would result in
dewatering that would impact aquatic habitat of bull trout,
westslope cutthroat trout and redband trout. We believe the
permitting agencies should deny approvals for this mine based on its
drastic alteration of water levels in area lakes and streams.
- Some of the wilderness waters impacted by dewatering would
include Rock Lake, St. Paul Lake, the East Fork of Bull River,
and potentially Libby Lakes. These are “Outstanding Resource
Waters” and are afforded the highest level of protection
possible. (Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DIES) summary page 28; DEIS Vol.2 page 429 (Libby
Lakes))
- Dewatering would extend 2 miles in all directions from the
mine void. This dewatering would intercept groundwater and
divert it into the mine cavity. The dewatering would impact many
fisheries both inside and outside the wilderness. (DEIS summary
page 28)
- The East Fork of Bull River is the most important bull trout
stream in the lower Clark Fork River drainage. Dewatering would
reduce bull trout spawning within this stream and could have
long-term adverse effects on the bull trout population within
the lower Clark Fork River drainage. (DEIS summary page 39)
- Dewatering would also impact Bull River’s population of pure
westslope cutthroat trout, a forest sensitive species and
species of special concern. (DEIS Vol.1 page 288)
- Dewatering would impact the East Fork and Mainstem of Rock
Creek, which both provide critical habitat for the bull trout. (DEIS
Vol.1 summary page 39)
2) Mine Cavity
Water diverted into the mine cavity would, after mine closure, be
allowed to flow untreated into the East Fork of Bull River. Water
from the mine cavity should be captured, treated and prevented from
being discharged into the East Fork of Bull River.
- The quality of this mine water cannot be predicted with any
degree of certainty, yet treatment is not currently being
considered.
(DEIS summary page 31)
- The flow would be significant enough to increase the volume
of water in the East Fork of Bull River post mining.
(DEIS Vol.1 page 309)
3) Mine Tailings
The impacts from mine tailings would include the diversion of a
significant stream, seepage to groundwater, a perpetual discharge,
and a massive containment dam. The visual consequences also would be
significant because of the size of the tailings pile and its close
proximity to the boundary of the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area
and associated Inventoried Roadless Area.
- A 120 million ton tailings pile that would be contained
behind a 310-foot dam.
(DEIS Vol.1 page 409)(DEIS Vol.1 page 199)
- The tailings would be deposited on wetlands and springs,
which would potentially destabilize the 120 million tons of
waste rock.
(DEIS summary page 10)
- It is likely that the dam will be classified as high hazard
because of the consequences if it were to fail.
(DEIS Vol.1 page 22)
- The approximately 647 acres of tailings would require the
diversion of a perennial stream (Little Cherry Creek) in order
to accommodate the size of the pile.
(DEIS Vol.1 page 199)
- The diversion of Little Cherry Creek would permanently
destroy 13,000 feet of aquatic habitat.
(DEIS summary page 39)
- Little Cherry Creek provides habitat for the inland redband
trout, a forest sensitive species and species of special
concern.
. (DEIS summary page 37)
4) Land Application Disposal (LAD)
Mine wastewater collected from the tailings would be discharged
into the groundwater by first applying it to the surface with
sprinklers and then allowing the effluent to percolate into the
underlying aquifer. Hazards in this proposal are many, including
groundwater saturation and subsequent runoff into adjacent surface
waters. There are limited options for this discharge during the
winter months when irrigation is not an option. The DEIS also
mentions few alternatives when the ground does reach saturation and
additional application is not possible.
- A proposed Land Application Disposal that would impact both
groundwater and adjacent creeks.
(DEIS Vol.1 page 27)
- Surface application of seepage collected from the mine
tailings via sprinklers to approximately 400 acres of land
situated between Ramsey and Poorman Creeks, both of which would
be impacted by the discharge of this mine wastewater.
(DEIS
Vol. 1 page 61)
- A significant volume of water ranging from 1.34 million
gallons per day at mine closure, decreasing to 290,000 gallons
per day after 10 years. A perpetual seepage that will require
disposal would be approximately 145,000 gallons per day.
(DEIS Vol.1 page 74)
- Impacts to Ramsey and Poorman Creeks which provide habitat
for the threatened bull trout and a population of pure redband
trout, a forest sensitive species and a species of special
concern..
(DEIS summary page 37)
- Likelihood that the Land Application Disposal would be
required in perpetuity.
(DEIS summary page 32)
5) Wildlife Impacts
Species impacted would include the threatened grizzly bear, lynx
and bull trout. Also impacted would be the westslope cutthroat trout
and inland redband trout. Both are forest sensitive species and
species of special concern. Numerous other species including
sensitive and indicator species are at risk from being displaced
such as mountain goats, moose and wolverine.
- Only 10-15 grizzly bears inhabit the Cabinet Mountains
Wilderness; 30-35 in the entire Cabinet-Yaak Ecosystem.
- Whereas the proposed Rock Creek mine would impact 7,044
acres of grizzly bear habitat, the Montanore mine would impact
approximately 27,000 acres of habitat. This degree of habitat
loss cannot be mitigated.
. (DEIS Vol.1 page 136)
- The tailings impoundment alone would impact over 400 acres
of lynx habitat and 647 acres of moose wintering range. Lynx is
s a newly listed threatened species and long-term loss of lynx
habitat from the Montanore mine is a concern..
(DEIS Vol.1 page 200)
- Dewatering would significantly impact the East Fork of Bull
River, the most important bull trout stream in the lower Clark
Fork River drainage.
(DEIS summary page 39)
- Mine related sediment introduced to streams would further
degrade the aquatic habitat of the bull trout, westslope
cutthroat, and redband trout.
- Classification of the westslope cutthroat and redband trout
as forest sensitive species is intended to provide protection so
the species do not become listed as endangered or threatened due
to forest service actions.
- The westslope cutthroat trout now occupies only 19-27% of
its historic range in Montana.
- Both the wolverine and mountain goat use habitat that would
be directly impacted by the mine.
6) Visual and Noise
Visual and noise impacts would reach well into the Cabinet
Mountains Wilderness. These impacts would not only be significant
for wildlife, but also would seriously affect the “wilderness
experience” sought by hikers, wildlife enthusiasts, hunters and
fishers.
- The mine would create 24/7 industrial lighting, all well
within visual range of the wilderness, with significant impacts
to the night sky.
(DEIS Vol.2 page 708)
- Heavy industrial mine traffic would continuously operate
adjacent to the wilderness.(DEIS
Vol.2 page 636)
- The tailings impoundment would have physical characteristics
that contrast significantly with the surrounding landscape. The
scenic integrity and landscape character changes at the
impoundment site would be noticeable indefinitely.
(DEIS summary page 41)
- The mine plan includes constructing a 16 mile 230 kV
transmission line in the Libby Creek drainage.
(DEIS Vol.1 page 89)
- During the construction phase, noise (85 dBA) would be
produced by heavy equipment, such as scrapers, bulldozers,
graders, loaders, and rock trucks. (DEIS
Vol.2 page 636)
- Hearing damage occurs at 90 dBA, jet aircraft engine noise
registers at 110 dBA, a busy city street is 60 dBA. The noise at
the boundary of the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness would be 55 dBA,
almost equal to the noise of a busy city street.
(DEIS Vol.2 page 637)
- Generators and ventilation fans also would generate noise
(85dBA) that would be audible within the Cabinet Mountains
Wilderness.
(DEIS Vol.2 pages 636, 637)
- Blasting of the evaluation adit would generate noise around
122 dBA.
- Visual and noise impacts would continue through the 16-19
year life of the mine.
7) Wilderness and Roadless Area Impacts
The impacts to the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness from the
Montanore mine would include water quality and quantity impacts to
numerous wilderness lakes and streams, including the East Fork of
Bull River and Rock Lake. The project would significantly impact
threatened species of wildlife that depend on the undisturbed
habitat that the wilderness and associated roadless lands provide.
Noise and visual mine related impacts would further degrade
wilderness character.
- Noise from heavy equipment, blasting, generators, and
ventilation fans.
- Visual impacts that would include a massive tailings pile,
truck traffic, and a ventilation adit adjacent to Rock Lake.
- The Libby Creek Adit would be located inside and adjacent to
an Inventoried Roadless Area, which includes old growth and core
grizzly bear habitat.
(DEIS Vol. 3 figure #47)
- Air quality issues would include cumulative impacts
associated with the neighboring Rock Creek mine. The wilderness
has a Class One Airshed meriting the highest level of
protection. Potential impacts include discharges of particulates
(PM10), nitric oxides, and sulfur dioxides.
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COMMENTS NEEDED ON THE MONTANORE MINE
PROPOSAL
Montana
DEQ and the U.S. Forest Service are accepting comments on
the environmental impacts of the Montanore mine proposal.
Your comments will be addressed by the permitting agencies
as they prepare the Final EIS and Record of Decision.
Comments must be postmarked or received 90 days from the
date the Notice of Availability of the DEIS is published in
the Federal Register. The Notice of Availability will be
published on February 27, 2009 and the 90-day comment period
will end on June 29, 2009.
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To view the Draft EIS for the Montanore mine project
click on the link.
http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/kootenai/projects/projects/montanore/index.shtml
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Organizations and individuals who submit timely comments
will be accepted by the Forest Service as appellants
following the release of the Montanore Project Final EIS
and Record of Decision.
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Comments must be specific to the proposed activities and
area being analyzed.
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Comments should include name, address, and telephone
number of organization or individual.
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Comments should include the title of the document on
which the comment is being submitted. (Draft
Environmental Impact Statement for the Montanore
Project)
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Please include specific facts and supporting reasons for
the agency to consider.
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Please sign the submitted comments when completed.
Written comment can be submitted to:
Bobbie Lacklen, Kootenai National Forest, 31374 U.S. 2 West,
Libby, MT 59923-3022
E-mailed to
r1_montanore@fs.fed.us , or to DEQ at:
deqmontanoreEIS@mt.gov .
Faxed to (406) 283-7709
Hand-delivered to either the KNF or the DEQ between
the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
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Copyright 2009 Save Our Cabinets
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