A look at water quality impacts from Montana’s hard rock mines. Click image to download report
— Billings Gazette: Ballot initiative supporters say modern mines still pollute
— Bozeman Chronicle: Supporters say mining initiative aims to reduce pollution
Montanans already spend millions on cleanup
Montanans spend millions each year cleaning up toxic pollution left behind from both historic and modern mines.
Montana has 3,500 abandoned mines, more than 200 of which are known to be discharging contaminants and polluting our clean water. Our state has nearly 2,500 miles of streams polluted by acid mine drainage, lead, arsenic, and mercury from abandoned mines.
Millions of taxpayer dollars spent with no end in sight:
This is not an issue isolated to mines from the turn of the century. It's happening today.
There have been five major mining company bankruptcies in Montana: Pegasus Gold II, W.R. Grace, Asarco, Canyon Resources and Atna. In every case, the reclamation bonds were insufficient to cover the full cost of clean-up and long-term water treatment.
Below is a peek at costs each year:
At the Beal Mountain Mine near Anaconda, roughly $13.7 million in public funds has already been spent for reclamation and water treatment (approximately $6-7 million by the State and the rest by the Forest Service.) An additional $39 million is needed for full clean up at the mine.
At the Zortman Landusky mine near Havre, water treatment for acid mine drainage will be required in perpetuity. As of 2016, a total of $73 million has been spent on reclamation and water treatment at this mine, with no end in sight for ongoing costs. Of the total, roughly $26 million has been paid with state or federal funds.
Mike Horse Tailings Dam Reclamation. Photo courtesy EcoFlight
Basin Creek mine southwest of Helena operated from 1989 until January 1999. Following the Pegasus bankruptcy, the entities responsible for Basin Creek had insufficient assets to complete required reclamation. Consequently, it has cost the public more than $3 million to clean up.
At the Kendall Mine near Lewistown, which operated from 1990 to 1997, water quality problems will require water treatment for up to 40 years. Despite more than a decade of effort, Montana DEQ was unable to obtain an increase in the reclamation bond from the company before it filed for bankruptcy in November 2015. As a result, the State of Montana is now a creditor in the bankruptcy proceedings against Atna Resources for $6.2 million, the amount needed for long-term treatment.
According to the Helena Independent Record, the Upper Blackfoot Mining Complex (which includes the Mike Horse Mine) has $11.4 million left from a $39 million settlement with former site owner Asarco. However unforeseen expenses have popped up, putting into question whether the remaining funds are enough to adequately complete the remediation.
None of this takes into account the 276 abandoned mines in Montana, which will cost millions if not billions to adequately clean up due to environmental hazards such as leaking holding pits, mine waste, tailings and/or abandoned mining chemicals.
Legislature has failed to act:
Clean water advocates have tried to pass modest mine reform through the Montana Legislature in recent years. Lawmakers killed those bills under the influence of the mining industry. That is why we are taking this simple, thoughtful solution to the people.
Children playing in the Yellowstone River in Montana. I-186 would help keep Montana’s rivers and streams clean.
Hardrock Mining Can Be Done Without Creating Perpetual Pollution:
Stillwater Mine (operating)
The Stillwater Mine is an underground platinum and palladium mine in operation since 1986. The Custer National Forest and Montana Department of Environmental Quality (formerly Department of State Lands) were the lead agencies for NEPA and MEPA actions at the Stillwater Mine. An EIS was completed in 1985, and there have been multiple mine expansions, requiring further NEPA analysis. Although there have been some water quality impacts from mine operations, none of the NEPA documents have predicted long-term water treatment, and none are expected post-closure. According to the 2012 FEIS, “mine waters will no longer be treated post-closure.” Eventual disposal of these mine waters would occur via discharge to groundwater through percolation ponds and underground workings or to the respective river through a constructed channel.
Troy Mine (Closed – Reclamation being performed)
The Troy Mine was a copper and silver mine operating in the Cabinet mountains, which first began operations in 1981 and operated intermittently until it discontinued operations in 2015. The Montana Department of State Lands and the Kootenai National Forest were the lead agencies for NEPA and MEPA actions in permitting the mine.
In the original EIS (1978), the EIS relied on a USGS report in determining that the risk from AMD would be low. Specifically, the EIS determined that “Although the potential for encountering pyritic materials cannot be dismissed, there is no evidence to indicate that pyrite and resultant acid mine drainage will develop from the Mt. Vernon operation.”
This projection was confirmed in the June 2012 Final EIS for the Troy Mine Revised Reclamation Plan, conducted by the Montana DEQ and the Kootenai National Forest,
Butte Highlands Joint Venture (draft EIS)
BHJV in Silver Bow County is a proposed underground gold mine owned by New Jersey Mining Company and located 15 miles sound of Butte. The 2013 draft EIS includes plans for dewatering of and treated discharge into Fish, Moose, and Basin Creeks.
Our Supporters
Thank you to all of our supporters. Regardless of background, regardless of differences, thank you for supporting protections for one of our most important resources.
Businesses
Orvis
Stillwater Anglers
Trout on the Fly
Montana Trout Stalkers
Yellow Dog Flyfishing
LogJam Presents
Triple-M-Outfitters
Flint Creek Outdoors
Green Anchors
Long Outfittng Riverside Anglers
The River's Edge
Blackfoot River Outfitters
Healing Waters Lodge
Missouri River Ranch
Montana Trout Stalkers
Montana Angler Fly Fishing
Damsel Fly Fishing
Sweetwater Fly Shop
Brooks Fishing Equipment
Casting for Recovery
Cross Currents
Simms Fly Fishing
Chico Hotsprings
Montana Fly Company
Berkshire Hathaway Bozeman
Beartooth Capital
Adipose Boats
Blackfoot River Brewing
Kettlehouse Brewery
Tenmile Creek Brewing
Trout Montana
Wild Flour Bakery
MAP Brewing
Lary's fly & Supply
Montana Fishing Outfitters
Organizations
Trout Unlimited
Montana Trout Unlimited
American Rivers
Earthworks
Gallatin River Task Force
Park County Environmental Council
Fishing Outfitters Association of Montana
Montana Audubon
Montana Conservation Voters
Montana Wildlife Federation
MEIC
Mont PIRG
MT BHA
TRCP
Casting for Recovery
International Flyfishing Federation
College Dems of Montana
Headwaters Montana
Montana Wildlife Federation
National Wildlife Federation
AFFTA
Others
Mayor Kelley, Great Falls
Mayor Collins, Helena
Deputy Mayor Mehl, Bozeman
Mayor Engen, Missoula
Mayor Muhlfeld, Whitefish
Fort Belknap Indian Community
The Rev. John Lund, ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America), Missoula
The Rev. Joseph Carver, Catholic, Missoula
Laurie Franklin, Spiritual Leader and Senior Rabbinic Intern, Congregation Har Shalom, Missoula
The Rev. Arne Bergland, ELCA, Helena
Pastor Alan Hilberg, First Christian Church (DOC), Missoula
The Rev. Jean Collins, St. James’ Episcopal Church, Lewistown
The Rev. Val Zdilla, Resurrection University Catholic Parish, Bozeman
Rabbi Allen Secher, Jewish, Whitefish
The Rev. Laura Folkwein, United Church of Christ, Missoula
Pastor Jim Heikes, Hope United Methodist Church, Billings
Pastor Dee Anna, United Methodist Church, Boulder
Teresa Henry, First United Methodist, Missoula
The Rev. Susan K. DeBree, United Methodist, Helena
The Rev. Thomas Lee, ELCA, Missoula
Thyrza Zabriskie, St James Episcopal Church, Bozeman
The Rev. Kendra Wilde, ELCA, Helena
The Rev. Tom Peterman, ELCA, Missoula
Mr. Ira Smotherman, Methodist, Bozeman
Roxanne Berg-Metivier, Montana Association of Christians, Missoula
Joan Brandvold Schmidt, Director of Music, First Presbyterian Church, Great Falls
The Board of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Missoula
The Governing Council of Open Way Sangha Missoula, Buddhists: Dharmacharya Rowan Conrad, Dharmacharya Greg Grallo, Director Nicole Dunn, Peggy Mallette, William Tanke and Steve Zellmer
David E. Anderson, Lay Pastoral Associate, ELCA, Nathanael-Volmer Lutheran parish, Dagmar
Pamela Mavrolas, Helena Big Sky Unitarian Universalist Board Member
The Rev. Roxanne Klingensmith, St. James Episcopal Church, Bozeman
Barbara Arensmeyer, Lay Pastoral Associate, ELCA, Trinity Lutheran Church, Choteau
The Rev. Mark R. Ramseth, ELCA, Bozeman — President Emeritus, Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, OH.
The Rev. Carol L Ramseth, ELCA, Bozeman
The Rev. Tony Rhodes, ELCA, Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, Townsend
The Rev. Kim Woeste, Chaplain/Director of Spiritual Life and Church Relations, Rocky Mountain College, Billings
The Rev. R Mark Taylor, ELCA, Plentywood Lutheran, Plentywood
Jasmine Krotkov, Quaker, Montana Gathering of Friends, Great Falls
The Rev. Connie Campbell-Pearson, Episcopal, Bozeman
The Rev. Duffy Peet, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Bozeman
Rev David Munson, United Church of Christ (UCC), Red Lodge
The Rev. Dr. Charles Alkula, United Methodist Church, Stevensville
Pastor Andrew Wendle, ELCA, Eidsvold Lutheran Church, Somers
Dr. Jennifer Yocum, Senior Pastor, University Congregational Church of Missoula
The Rev. Aprille Jordan, ELCA, Missoula
The Rev. Todd Scranton, Grace United Methodist, Missoula
Mary Jo Quinn, SCL (Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth), Pastoral Assistant, Blessed Trinity Catholic Community, Missoula
The Rev. Ken Olson, ELCA, Lewistown
The Rev. Tom Schlotterback, ELCA, Billings
The Rev. Jean Larson, ELCA, Missoula
Sister Cecily Schroepfer, OSF, Roman Catholic, Billings
Sister Marya Grathwohl, OSF, Roman Catholic, Billings
Beverly J. Larson, ELCA Deacon, Kalispell
Duane Larson, ELCA, Retired Fire Chief, Kalispell
The Rev. Barry Padget, United Methodist Church, Missoula
The Rev. Stephen R. Schmidt, ELCA, Hope Lutheran Church, Bozeman
The Rev. Chris Flohr, ELCA, Missoula
The Rev. Carl Rohr, ELCA, Ronan
The Rev. Dave Peters, ELCA, Bozeman
The Rev. Miriam Schmidt, ELCA, Big Sky
The Rev. Brad Ulgenes, ELCA, St. John’s Lutheran, Helena
The Rev. Ron Martin-Dent, ELCA, Polson
The Rev. Stan Hoobing, ELCA, Shelby
The Rev. Rob Nedbalek, Freedom in Christ Prison Ministry, Deer Lodge
The Rev. Henry Littlehales, Disciples of Christ, Missoula
The Rev. Daniel Disch, ELCA, Missoula