WASHINGTON: Mining Action Alert - Save Buckhorn Mountain February 6, 1998 Faxed from Mineral Policy Center 1612 K. St. NW Washington, DC 20006 Ph: 202-887-1872 FAX: 202-887-1875 [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.mineralpolicy.org Immediate Action Needed The Washington Department of Ecology will soon decide whether to allow Battle Mountain Gold to mine Buckhorn Mountain. Your comments are needed now to insure the state knows that more people than just the mining industry are interested in its decision, and that the state is required to comply with the Clean Water Act. The Threat to Buckhorn Mountain Battle Mountain Gold Co. (BMG) has proposed the first large scale open-pit, cyanide heap-leach mine in Washington state. BMG's plans to to blast the top off Buckhorn Mountain, crush it up, mix the powdered waste rock with cyanide to leach out the microscopic particles of gold, and dump 9 million tons of tailings on top of Marias Creek behind and 250 foot high earthen dam and 100 million tons of waste rock on the hillside. If permitted it would have potentially irreversible environmental impacts. Who Would Be Affected? Citizens are concerned that the long term economic health of north-central Washington State is integrally connected to environmental quality that would inevitably suffer from BMG's proposal. This mine would significantly and permanently impact the area's land and water resources. This proposal is opposed by virtually the entire Washington State conservation community. However, recent statements of Tom Fitzsimmons, the Director of the state Department of Ecology (DOE), indicate that he believes this project should go forward. This is not in the public interest. Help Local Citizens Enforce the Clean Water Act BMG now wants to convince DOE that the pit lake that would form in the 900 ft. crater after mining would not be subject to a Clean Water Act section 401 water quality permit because the water would not be subject to federal jurisdiction. This is patently wrong. It is DOE's duty to protect all the waters for the public interest according to the Clean Water Act. The Department has recently gone to the US Supreme Court to defend the State's right to protect/abuse our waters. Contamination in the pit lake is predicted to exceed water quality standards. DOE can and should deny BMG water quality certification and enforce the Clean Water Act. What can you do? Write letters....call....email * Please ask the Governor to instruct his administration to deny BMG's water quality certification as the technical facts, federal laws, state laws, and sound public policy require. * Explain to Mr. Fitzsimmons that BMG's large open pit mine is not wise management of our air, land and water for the benefit of current and future generations. * Remind Mr. Fitzsimmons that the Department of Ecology's mission is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington's environment. Governor Gary Locke Office of the Governor P.O. Box 40002 Olympia, WA 98504-0002 360-902-4111 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tom Fitzsimmons, Director Department of Ecology P.O. Box 47600 Olympia, WA 98504-7600 360-407-7001 [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more information, contact: David Kliegman Okanogan Highlands Alliance 509-485-3361 [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.televar.com/~kliegoha
