Revett Silver Company

Revett Silver Company Will Not Give Up.

They will fight for this. Why? How many years has this been going on? It has turned into another battle ground like logging where fingers are pointed at that Wrong Bad Guys. Northwest Montana Seems to "Not be Learning from the Past"

Pollution Hurts us all, Sandpoint will LOSE their recreational value with poison going into Lake Pend Oreille. The Economic of Pristine Water and Clean Air will ALWAYS outlast the short term economic gain of mines. As a Real Estate Broker Owner I can tell you that the discussion of the mine going in has already hurt real estate.

Folks email me quite often and ask how it is going. Who wants to live in a polluted area that they thought to be pristine. Recreational Real Estate, People moving inland from polluted shores, and people leaving cities do not want to move to a place that is worse than where they came from.

Sandpoint Real Estate, North Idaho Real Estate, Libby Real Estate, Lake Koocanusa Real Estate and Northwest Montana Real Estate WILL be effected by the mining under the Cabinet Wilderness. If this happens you can be assured that it opens up all wilderness in the area for exploitation, I am all for jobs but I WILL NOT hike in a wilderness where there is drilling below the surface that is killing the animals, poisoning the water.

Real Estate is the Biggest Economic Factor that Will be Hit. Who wants to move to Northwest Montana, the land where the Forest Service always big industry to drill under their wilderness and with a process that WILL pollute the waters forever.

The mining company will take the BIG money and run and maybe even change their name like they did before, and North Idaho and Northwest Montana will be left with the mess. Just like the Vermiculite Mine in Libby Montana.

There is NO DOUBT that the mine will drive away, kill and poison local wildlife.

The Forest Service lost timber dollars, the county lost timber jobs so they are READY to let another W.R. Grace type company come in and rape our land, kill our animals and in the long run we will find out that some form of the process has hurt the peoples health just like the W.R. Grace incident.

The Forest Service is taking it from all sides I am sure, how do you create an economy with out taking it from the FOREST?

That is their Mentality, that is Old News, Old Media and Old Ways. There are a lot more ways to create jobs than to open Northwest Montana up to who ever wants to create heavy labor jobs, ruin our wild lands and become Billionaires on the Backs of our people.

Look around, those who owned the mills that are shut down, are STILL RICH, still Real Estate Moguls and those that made them that way are simply out of a job.

For More Information on This Topic Check out our Northwest Montana Environment Blog at http://www.northwestmt.net/search?q=revett


Northwest Montana Mining Information
http://www.rockcreekalliance.org/TheMine


I Guarantee Your Real Estate Values will PLUMMET …..

Rock Creek Alliance Lawsuit

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA

CLARK FORK COALITION, ROCK CREEK )
ALLIANCE, INC., CABINET RESOURCE GROUP, )
MONTANA ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION )
CENTER, AND TROUT UNLIMITED,

http://mtlawlibrary.wordpress.com/2007/07/25/opinion-order-clark-fork-coalition-v-mont-dept-of-envtl-quality/

For Full Legal Complaint Click on No. DA 06-0774

¶1 Revett Silver Company (Revett) has filed a motion to dismiss the appeal herein. Appellants Clark Fork Coalition, et al. (Coalition), oppose the motion. Respondent Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has not filed a response to the motion to dismiss.
¶2 This matter arises out of a challenge to a pollution discharge elimination system permit granted by DEQ to Revett for use at its proposed Rock Creek Mine in Sanders County. The Coalition filed an action challenging DEQ’s issuance of the permit on January 28, 2002, and Revett was not named in the action. The Coalition and DEQ ultimately agreed to present the matter for resolution on summary judgment, and the
2
Coalition moved for summary judgment in December 2004. On January 31, 2005, three years after the suit was filed and while the Coalition’s summary judgment motion was pending, Revett sought to intervene as a defendant in the matter. On July 12, 2005, the First Judicial District Court, Lewis and Clark County, Honorable Jeffrey Sherlock presiding, denied Revett’s motion to intervene as untimely, noting that Revett had "actual notice of the action shortly after the complaint was filed, more than three years ago" and had "ample notice and opportunity to file its motion to intervene at an earlier stage in the proceedings." After being denied intervention, Revett did not further participate in the litigation, nor seek supervisory control of the proceeding by this Court.
¶3 After briefing and argument, the District Court granted summary judgment to DEQ on Count I of the Coalition’s amended complaint, to the Coalition on Count II, and ordered that Count III be set for trial. The parties thereafter agreed that all of the facts regarding Count III had been fully established and that a trial would not further develop the claim. Further, the Coalition took the position that the District Court’s decision on Count I would direct a favorable outcome to DEQ on Count III. Therefore, on September 12, 2006, the parties stipulated to the entry of final judgment in favor of DEQ on Counts I and III and in favor of the Coalition on Count II. The District Court accepted the stipulation and entered final judgment accordingly.1

MORE AT

http://fnweb1.isd.doa.state.mt.us/idmws/docContent.dll?Library=CISDOCSVR01^doaisd510&ID=003773737

Rock Creek Alliance March 2005

Legal Victory for Rock Creek Alliance

FOR RELEASE: March 30, 2005 CONTACT: Tim Preso,

Earthjustice, (406) 586-9699 Kathi Slora, (406) 847-5510

Peter Lupsha, (406) 827-5329

Mary Mitchell, Rock Creek Alliance, (208) 265-8272
COURT REJECTS ROCK CREEK MINEMissoula, MT --

In a major victory for grizzly bears, bull trout and the people of northwest Montana, a federal district court has rejected a federal wildlife agency's approval of a massive industrial mining operation on the edge of the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area. The court ruled that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service overlooked serious concerns that the proposed Rock Creek Mine would drive grizzly bears and bull trout in the region extinct. The proposed mine would have removed 10,000 tons of copper and silver ore per day from under the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area, seven days a week, for 35 years. The resulting loss of more than 7,000 acres of habitat would be devastating to the 15 or fewer grizzly bears that survive in the Cabinet Mountains. In the ruling, the court noted evidence that the area's tiny grizzly bear population appears to be declining and concluded, "given the clear possibility that bears are at least not increasing, contemplating the loss of additional bears related to the mine is not rational." The mine also would have dumped up to 3 million gallons of waste water each day into the Clark Fork River, and threatened to destroy the bull trout population in Rock Creek, a tributary of the Clark Fork. The court ruled that the Fish and Wildlife Service had written off the Rock Creek population without properly considering the full range of threats facing the bull trout species. The proposed Rock Creek Mine project faced vehement opposition from a coalition of local, regional and national conservation groups, along with local business representatives, public officials and ordinary citizens. The mining project gained nationwide attention last year when Tiffany & Co., one of the world's foremost jewelry retailers, published a full-page letter in the Washington Post opposing it, stating that "opponents fears are justified." Nevertheless, federal and state officials approved the mine, and mine operator Revett Silver Company planned to break ground at the site this July. Today local opponents of the mine breathed a sigh of relief: "People want to live in this corner of Montana because of our spectacular wilderness," said Kathi Slora of Noxon, Montana. "Putting a huge mine on the edge of our wilderness would destroy it." "I think this ruling is an important step in recognizing the uniqueness of the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area," added Peter Lupsha of Trout Creek, Montana. "We know there are bull trout in Rock Creek and grizzly bears in Rock Creek Meadows, but the Fish and Wildlife Service has ignored this and glossed over our concerns." The court ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by the non-profit, public-interest law firm Earthjustice on behalf of the Rock Creek Alliance, Cabinet Resource Group, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Trout Unlimited, Idaho Council of Trout Unlimited, Pacific Rivers Council, EARTHWORKS/Mineral Policy Center, and Alliance for the Wild Rockies.

http://www.rockcreekalliance.org/NewsRoom/PressReleases/biopwin

Revett Mines October 2006

Rock Creek Mine Project Moves Closer to Reality Mitigation

Plan Provides “Net Positive Impact” on GrizzliesOctober 13, 2006
Spokane, Washington - Revett Minerals Inc. (TSX-RVM) President and CEO Bill Orchow stated ”The Rock Creek copper-silver mine in northwest Montana has moved a giant step closer to reality”, as a result of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) re-issuance today of a favorable non-jeopardy Biological Opinion concerning grizzly bears and bull trout in the project area.

According to the agency’s Biological Opinion, the company’s plan “includes a suite of measures” which will “have a net positive impact on grizzly bears and grizzly bear habitat throughout the Cabinet-Yaak Ecosystem (CYE).”

“This is good news for the economy, good news for Northwest Montana, and good news for wildlife,” said Orchow. He further noted that a team of biologists and other experts closely examined Revett’s plan of operations, as well as the conservation measures, and determined the grizzly population will indeed benefit from implementation of Revett’s plan.

The suite of measures to be taken by the company includes everything from purchasing more than 2,400 acres of prime habitat near the mine to funding two grizzly bear management specialists and a law enforcement officer for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

“The biologists and others who have spent years developing this Biological Opinion have determined that the grizzly bear population needs help if it is going to survive, and the Rock Creek Project will provide for a substantial portion of that help,” Orchow said. “Any group that appeals this Biological Opinion will therefore be putting the CYE grizzly population at further risk.”

The Biological Opinion supports the Forest Service Record of Decision which is the document summarizing over sixteen years of study and public comment for development of the underground copper-silver operation near Noxon, Montana. Orchow said Revett has begun finalizing the agreements and reclamation bonding necessary to commence the evaluation adit phase of the project.

The study by USFWS officials of the interactions between the proposed mine and wildlife began in 1998 and the Biological Opinion is the culmination of that study process. Along with providing benefits to the grizzly bear population, the study said “We conclude that the measures in the plan required of the Forest and Revett, if implemented, would result in a net reduction in the future human-caused grizzly bear mortality rates, even with development and operation of the proposed mine.”

The Biological Opinion also includes a detailed examination of the mine’s effect on bull trout. In doing so, USFWS reviewed more than 100 previously conducted biological opinions, and determined that “no actions that have undergone section 7 consultation, considered either singly or cumulatively, will appreciably reduce the likelihood of survival and recovery of the bull trout or result in the loss of any subpopulations.” “In fact many of them will benefit bull trout.” The Service concludes that the Rock Creek project “is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of bull trout in the affected core area (Lower Clark Fork Core Area).”

According to the Fish and Wildlife Service, under the plan, Revett will fund several items which will assist in the recovery of the grizzly population in the Cabinet-Yaak Ecosystem (CYE) and “will more than offset” any displacement caused by the mine. They include:
The purchase of or perpetual conservation easement on 2450 acres of high-quality grizzly bear habitat in the CYE that is at risk of being developed.
Two Montana, Fish, Wildlife and Parks grizzly bear management specialists over the life of the mine
One law enforcement officer over the life of the mine
Grizzly bear information, education and outreach programs and projects, in cooperation with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the Forest Service
Monitoring and research efforts specifically targeting the CYE grizzly bear population
The purchase of grizzly bear-resistant garbage containers
The conversion of the Sanders County garbage transfer station and others in the CYE over time, to be grizzly bear resistant
Bear-resistant garbage receptacles at Forest Service campgrounds
The agency also said there will be an “Oversight Committee, with technical input and advice from the Service, working cooperatively to ensure the implementation of the numerous measures in the Forest’s mitigation plan.”

For more information, contact:

Bill Orchow or Carson Rife
Revett Minerals, 509-921-2294

NOTHING STOPS PROGRESS......
WHAT EVER PROGRESS IS

Rock Creek Mine Approval May 2003

Rock Creek Mine approval expected

By SHERRY DEVLIN

of the Missoulian
Federal officials say proposal won't curb wildlife populations

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Tuesday cleared the way for approval of a much-maligned copper and silver mine beneath the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness, saying the development would not jeopardize the continued existence of grizzly bears, bull trout or lynx."This was a very difficult decision to make," said Ralph Morgenweck, the agency's regional director. "We are very aware of the significance of any impacts on such a small population of grizzly bears."
But the Rock Creek mine will not "substantively degrade" grizzly habitat, Morgenweck said, and the mitigation plan required by the government could actually benefit bears in the Cabinet-Yaak ecosystem.And while the mine will likely impact bull trout in Rock Creek, those fish "contribute very little to the sustained viability of the bull trout on a larger scale," the agency said in its formal biological opinion. "Harm to this population will have little impact on the long-term recovery of bull trout in the Columbia River Basin."Environmentalists were incredulous, and promised a lawsuit."Clearly, the court of public opinion says this mine is a terrible idea, and now we have to actually take it to the courts," said Tracy Stone-Manning, executive director of the Clark Fork Coalition. "We are back to this ridiculous game that everybody expects environmental groups and agencies to play. Instead of talking about what's appropriate development and where and why, we are stuck in a paradigm that doesn't work.""Obviously, this is not the future of Montana - this kind of development," she said.As proposed by Sterling Mining Co. of Veradale, Wash., the mine would produce 10,000 tons of copper and silver from a mine drilled beneath the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness. Mining operations would extend for at least 35 years, including construction.Of course, the mine's development depends on metal prices as much as on bull trout or grizzly bears, said Frank Duval, Sterling's president. "It will require higher prices than we have today."Duval, whose businesses have been involved in a laundry list of mine failures and environmental fiascoes, said he will need two or three years to study the Fish and Wildlife Service's biological opinion and the U.S. Forest Service's formal record of decision - which is now expected within 30 days.At the Fish and Wildlife Service's insistence, the decision notice will include substantial mitigation if the mine is ever developed, including the purchase of 2,400 acres of now privately owned grizzly bear habitat in the Cabinet Mountains - land that will be left free of development and available to grizzly bears."Sterling has to meet a lot of obligations," said John McKay, the Kootenai National Forest's project coordinator for the Rock Creek mine. "The whole intent of the biological opinion was that the mine facilities aren't what impact the grizzly bear; it's the number of people who will be drawn to the area by the mine.""So most of the mitigation is geared toward dealing with the number of people the mine will bring here," he said. "They would have to pay for a full-time law enforcement officer and a full-time wildlife biologist, for example. And all that land they'd buy would be off limits to development."The Forest Service already issued one record of decision for the Rock Creek mine, but withdrew it last March after the Fish and Wildlife Service withdrew its original biological opinion in response to a lawsuit filed by environmentalists.The original opinion showed grizzly bears in jeopardy because of the mine, but found no jeopardy for bull trout.Environmentalists believed the reconsideration would bring about a favorable change; thus, their surprise when the rethinking yielded a finding of no jeopardy for either bull trout or grizzly bears.What changed?"The withdrawal of the Montanore mining project on the east side of the Cabinets created a drastically better baseline for grizzly bears," said Anne Vandehey, a wildlife biologist for the Fish and Wildlife Service in Helena. "Now instead of two big mines in the Cabinets, we have one. That was a big factor in this reconsultation."Noranda Minerals Corp. abandoned its Montanore silver and copper mine last August, saying depressed metals prices and expected future prices made the mine uneconomical. Together, the Montanore and Rock Creek mines would have jeopardized grizzly bears, Vandehey said. Alone, the landscape changed.Sterling Mining now will have to do all the bear mitigation the two mines would have shared, she said. "So they'll have a lot of work to do."There are an estimated 30-40 grizzly bears in the Cabinet-Yaak ecosystem, a population so small the federal government has said it warrants listing as an endangered species; it is at imminent risk of extinction.The bull trout decision did not change, Vandehey added, because "we didn't write the original opinion as clearly as we should have. It wasn't that we made the wrong decision before; we just weren't clear enough about how we got from Point A to Point B to Point C."Now, of course, all those points will be hashed out in federal court, said Stone-Manning. "From what we can gather, the Fish and Wildlife Service is saying it's okay to put this grizzly bear population - which is hanging on by a thread - into the hands of Sterling Mining Co., which has bankruptcies, Superfund sites and SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) violations in its file.""What this tells us yet again is that the 1872 Mining Law doesn't work anymore," she said. "This is a very different place than it was in 1872. Grizzly bears live in a very different world."The bull trout decision, Stone-Manning said, is a shocker. "They're writing off this population of bull trout," she said. "While some may argue whether that violates the Endangered Species Act,

it certainly violates the spirit of the act."

Rock Creek Alliance

Rock Creek Alliance
HELP STAND UP FOR CLEAN WATER AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

Rock Creek Alliance Wins Huge Legal Victory Against Mine

Along the boundary between northern Idaho and Northwestern Montana is a beautiful place, with forested mountains, pristine lakes, and clean rivers. This remarkable landscape helps support a vibrant community, where people raise families, recreate, and enjoy a healthy and safe lifestyle.

Upstream from north Idaho’s famous Lake Pend Oreille, a mining company wants to construct the proposed Rock Creek mine, adjacent to and underneath the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area. This wilderness area provides pure drinking water from snowmelt that feeds nearby creeks and streams, extraordinary recreational opportunities, and key habitat for threatened species such as lynx, grizzly bear, and bull trout. The proposed Rock Creek mine would be the first mine constructed in a federally designated wilderness area and would destroy the pristine nature of this area, including contaminating or draining alpine lakes and streams.

Water quality in the area would be severely degraded due to perpetual pollution from the mine. Considered the crown jewel of northern Idaho, Lake Pend Oreille is Idaho’s largest lake and supports the thriving communities on its shores.

The mine would send three million gallons of wastewater into the Clark Fork River, on a DAILY basis, eventually ending up in Lake Pend Oreille. And, that’s just the wastewater that the company will be able to capture and treat with its experimental treatment system. Much of the contaminated water will escape into the Clark Fork River without being subject to the unproven treatment system.

Ironically, the mine was approved under a law passed over 130 years ago - the grossly outdated 1872 Mining Law. This law is essentially unchanged since signed by President Ulysses S. Grant. It gives priority to mining above all other uses of the land, despite the greater importance in today’s economy of many other values including clean drinking water, fisheries, recreational opportunities, wilderness values, and local community health.

The people who boat, fish, recreate, and simply enjoy the rivers, lakes, and wilderness area appreciate the special quality of life and the economic benefits provided

by our mountains, forests, and clean water.

We value our special places like the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area and want to protect them for future generations to enjoy. It’s the reason community leaders, elected officials, and hundreds of businesses large and small have raised their voices against the Rock Creek mine. Yet, our voices have largely been ignored by the federal agencies that have issued permits for the mine to be built. That’s why the Rock Creek Alliance insists that all of us should have a voice. Because these regional and national treasures belong to all of us, we encourage you to join us in helping to protect our water quality and natural resources that make this area so special.

Find out how you can get involved and make a difference.
Become a member of the Rock Creek Alliance.
1319 N. Division, Sandpoint, Idaho 83864
(208) 265-8272 : info@rockcreekalliance.org

www.RockCreekAlliance.org

Sandpoint Community

Nestled on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille, Sandpoint, Idaho, is quickly becoming known as the "best small town in the west." The growing number of people calling Sandpoint home enjoy clean air; clean water; views of towering, snow-peaked mountains; unparalleled recreational opportunities; and a superb quality of life that is becoming harder and harder to find. Sandpoint and the other communities of northern Idaho have been resolute in protecting our resources and quality of life and have voiced continuous and steadfast

opposition to the proposed Rock Creek mine.

The communities along the Clark Fork River, in Montana, also have objected to the threats posed by the mine. Members of these communities have chosen to live in a naturally beautiful area with abundant clean air, clean water, farm and ranch lands, and public recreational lands. Like Sandpoint, the economies of these vibrant communities are dependent upon the wealth of natural resources, and community members do not wish to risk their quality of life to the threat of a boom and bust economy created by a mine.

Everyone, from sportspeople, business people, property owners, recreationists, and conservationists have said no to the mine. Local city councils and the Bonner County, Idaho, Commissioners have passed resolutions opposing the development of the mine. Even the renowned jeweler Tiffany & Co. has stepped forward to protect these incredible resources.

Tiffany's, like the Rock Creek Alliance, simply believes that there are certain special places that should be preserved for all and not ruined by a single ill-conceived mining venture.

Our communities have pulled together for many, many years to protect Lake Pend Oreille and the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area from the proposed mine. Rarely has such unity across economic and politicalspectrums been experienced. The Alliance is grateful for all of the support received from our communities.

Montana Mining

Montana DEQ Report Link
http://www.deq.state.mt.us/pcd/RockCreek/Volume%20IV-Aquatics%20and%20Fisheries.pdf

Mining Bulletin from June 2002

http://www.nwma.org/pdf/june2002bulletin.pdf

ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT 2005

LITIGATION UPDATE1/
Prepared by:
Wildlife and Marine Resources Section
Environment and Natural Resources Division
United States Department of Justice
Washington, D.C.

http://www.abanet.org/environ/committees/endangered/ESA_Update.pdf

KNF APPROVAL

http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/news/2001/rock-creek.pdf


Community Development Information

http://www.commerce.state.mt.us/Includes/CDD/07CDD.pdf


Hazardess Waste Summary

http://www.commerce.state.mt.us/Includes/CDD/07CDD.pdf

Rock Creek 2007

Very Important Links for Revett Silver, Rock Creek Mine,

Lincoln County Montana, Sandpoint,

Beautiful Idaho Lakes, Montana Wilderness.

CLICK ON TITLE FOR ARTICLE LINK

Revett Silver

Montana guv not convinced mine won't drain scenic lakes –

The Salt Lake Tribune, 12/11/06

US Approves Montana Mine After Long Ecology Fight

– Reuters, 10/16/06

Rock Creek mine won't hurt wildlife, agency rules

– Missoulian.com, 10/16/06

Study finds no Troy, Rock Creek link

– Missoulian, 7/8/06

Higher bonds for mine sought

– Associated Press, 4/4/06

Rock Creek Mine loses water permit

– Daily Inter Lake, 3/28/06

Environmentalists say mine cleanup costs not covered

– The Missoulian, 3/6/06

Cave-ins raise questions about Rock Creek mine

– The Missoulian, 3/6/06

New ore finds give Troy mine a rebirth

– Missoulian, 3/6/06

Two cities clash over mining plans

– Idaho State Journal, 10/11/05

Legislators respond to water quality issues

– RuralNorthwest.com, 9/29/05

Debate continues over mine in Cabinets

– Helena Independent Record/AP, 8/29/05

Revett: Troy sinkhole isn't linked to mining

– Bonner County Daily Bee, 8/7/05

Troy Mine cave-in raises doubts at Rock Creek mine

– The Missoulian, 7/15/05

Revett Minerals Reports Activities at Rock Creek Are Progressing

– CCN Matthews, 7/5/05

Company will proceed with mine development plans

– Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 4/19/05

Troy Mine reopens due to high metals prices

– The Missoulian, 3/31/05

Judge halts Revett's Rock Creek silver project

– Mineweb, 3/31/05

Judge rebuffs Rock Creek mine approval

– The Missoulian, 3/31/05

Revett Minerals Announces Closing of Cdn $30 Million IPO

– Mine Wire, 2/24/05

Troy mine firm wins tax breaks from county

– Missoulian, 9/10/04

2007 Up to Date Mining Information
And HOW it AFFECTS YOU !!!

June 27, 2003 Rock Creek

Rock Creek Mine Record of Decision ReleasedJune 27, 2003Libby, Mont. -

Following 16 years of comprehensive and detailed environmental analysis and review, the Kootenai National Forest (KNF) today announced release of the Record of Decision (ROD) for Sterling Mining Company’s Plan of Operation for the Rock Creek Mine Project in western Sanders County, Montana for the second time. A joint ROD was issued by the KNF and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in December 2001. However, as a result of the withdrawal of the United States Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) Biological Opinion (BO) on the Rock Creek project, the Kootenai subsequently withdrew their 2001 ROD because the Kootenai no longer had the documentation required by the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to make a decision. However, because DEQ’s decision was and is independent of the FWS’s BO, their 2001 decision remains in effect. On May 9, 2003, the FWS issued a new BO; therefore, allowing the KNF to review applicable information to render a new ROD for the Rock Creek Project. This ROD of June 2003 summarizes the decision, rationale for the decision, and alternatives considered in reaching the decision. Additionally, the ROD documents the KNF’s and DEQ’s requirements that must be met by the project proponent (Sterling Mining Company)

in order for mining permits and approvals to be granted at a future date.
Originally submitted by ASARCO in 1987, the proposal is now advanced by Sterling Mining Company, which purchased the Rock Creek properties in 1999.
Decision on the Plan of Operation:Kootenai NF decision is to approve a Plan of Operations consistent with the FEIS, Alternative V and as modified by this new ROD (Figure 2). The ROD of June 2003 summarizes my decision, rationale for the decision, and alternatives considered in reaching the decision. Additionally, this ROD documents the KNF’s and DEQ’s requirements that must be met by the project proponent (Sterling Mining Company) in order for mining permits and approvals to be granted at a future date. Although the entire plan is approved, Sterling is required to stage its plan of operation, with implementation of the second phase contingent upon the first phase.

Sterling must complete the following items prior to proceeding

with the first phase of activities for the evaluation adit

as outlined in the ROD: Modified and/or updated

the Plan of Operations for the evaluation adit;

Modified and/or updated the reclamation portion

of the Plan of Operations for the evaluation adit

Modified and/or updated the monitoring portion

of the Plan of Operations for the evaluation adit; Implement the reasonable

and prudent measures, terms, conditions and conservation

measures and mitigation relative to the evaluation adit,

as required by the 2003 BO, and the mitigation and modifications as;
Submit the reclamation performance bond for the evaluation adit.

The second phase of the project (facility construction, mine development,

and mine operation) can be implemented when the agencies (KNF and DEQ) review and confirm, in writing, that the following items have been submitted consistent with Alternative V and the ROD and approved:
Modified and/or updated Plan of Operations for the mine;
Modified and/or updated reclamation portion

of the Plan of Operations for the mine;
Modified and/or updated monitoring portion

of the Plan of Operations for the mine;
Submittal of a reclamation performance bond

for mine construction and mine development;
Technical panel (comprised of state and federal agencies and Tribal Governments) review of applicable data, as outlined in the FEIS and ROD, and Sterling’s completion of any studies the agencies (through the review process) deem necessary. This could include review and analysis of applicable evaluation adit data to determine if that information is consistent with the conclusions reached in the FEIS, and project record, in regards to ground water flow and quality, geochemistry, and rock mechanics; and
Implement the reasonable and prudent measures, terms, conditions, conservation measures and mitigation relative to the construction and development phases of the project, as established by the 2003 BO, and the mitigations and modifications as outlined in Alternative V of the FEIS and ROD. Approval measures identified above are consistent with DEQ’s approval of Sterling’s State Exploration License for the Evaluation Adit, the Hard Rock Mine Permit, Air Quality Permit and MPDES permit for Sterling’s

Plan of Operations (DEQ 2001 ROD, pages 34 through 44).

Project Activities and MitigationOnly when all appropriated mitigations are met, will Sterling be authorization to conduct mining operations on 140 acres of National Forest System (NFS) lands. Ground disturbing activities associated with mining operations include road reconstruction/construction, mill, evaluation adit, and tailings facility construction, and if needed, ventilation adit construction. The disturbance will be bonded to insure reclamation. The approved plan of operations will result in the closure of 7.2 miles of road for bear habitat; however, as a result of public input, the Chicago Peak Road will remain open to the public (Figure 1). The KNF is also required to implement a food storage order, for improved protection of grizzly bears, in bear management units (BMUs) 4, 5 and 6, which are located in the southern end of the Cabinet Mountains (see ROD page 28). Additionally, a number of aquatic/fisheries mitigation measures are included in Alternative V that will benefit bull trout (FEIS Appendix B, Bull Trout Biological Assessment

pages 22-23, 2003 ROD pages 32-41).
A complete list of mitigation and monitoring requirements,

incorporated into my decision, are found in Attachment 1 of the ROD.
Several specific components of the decisions are below.

Kootenai NF approves the following, consistent

with Alternative V and as modified by the ROD:
Sterling Mining Company may utilize 140 acres of National Forest Lands for road access, adit access, a mill site, utility corridors, portions of the tailings facility and water treatment facilities. Approval also includes construction of a ventilation adit, if necessary, within the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness.
Closure of 7.22 miles of road for bear habitat and allow the Chicago Peak Road to remain open to the public. For the protection of grizzly bears, implement a food storage order in bear management units 4, 5 and 6 located

in the southern end of the Cabinet Mountains.
For the protection of threatened and endangered species, Sterling must implement additional terms, conditions, and reasonable and prudent alternatives relative to mine construction and operation established by the Biological Assessment and Biological Opinion.
Amend the Kootenai Forest Plan: 217 acres will have their management area (MA) prescription changed to MA 31 (mineral development) and/or MA 23 (electric transmission corridor).
Other key components of the decision: Total amount of surface disturbance expected is about 482 acres, of which 140 acres are

on National Forest System land.
Bonding will fully cover the cost of water treatment

and reclamation of all disturbance. The total bond for

the project is estimated to be about $77 million plus

an additional $4.2 million for grizzly bear protection.

All bonds will be reviewed regularly to ensure the

amount remains sufficient.
As part of the MPDES permit, water treatment of mine water and tailings seepage will continue as long as necessary until each water source meets appropriate water quality standards or limits without treatment. The mine adits will either be sealed once the mine water meets ground water or surface water standards or sealed and allowed to drain. In the latter case, the drainage will be captured, treated, and discharged to the Clark Fork River in perpetuity depending upon what hydrogeologic and hydrologic data indicates is the most appropriate available at the end of mine life. Bonding

will initially cover water treatment in perpetuity.
Public Involvement:About 6,000 individuals; groups;

organizations; tribes; and federal, state and local

agencies provided comments and suggested resolution

on a wide range of issues. Kootenai Forest Supervisor

Bob Castaneda stated, “This essential input has

helped the Forest Service develop the best decision

for this proposal that allows the project to proceed

as required by law, protects the environment,

and yet addresses a majority of the public’s concerns and issues.

The Kootenai NF will continue their

open door policy to the public

and the public will be informed of any

subsequent NEPA analysis.

The Kootenai NF will development a web site that will allow the

public to track the arrival of monitoring reports and design plans,

the status of operations, inspections, and compliance reviews.

Existing project information (FEIS and ROD) is located at http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/kootenai.

The ROD will be available on the following agency

web sites the morning of June 27, 2003:
Kootenai NF web page at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/kootenai.
The documents will also be available for review at the following locations: MT DEQ offices in Helena; Kootenai National Forest Supervisor’s Office in Libby, Cabinet Ranger Station in Trout Creek; USFS Regional headquarters in Missoula; Corps of Engineers office in Helena; Montana State Library in Helena; UM Mansfield Library in Missoula, and local libraries in Missoula, Thompson Falls, Libby, Heron, and Noxon in Montana, and Clark Fork,

Sandpoint, and Coeur d’Alene libraries in Idaho.
KNF’s decision will be available for review

under their respective administrative review (appeal) processes.
For additional information,

please contact John McKay,

Kootenai National Forest,

(406) 293-6211.

April 2002 Rock Creek Mining

USFWS & USFS Withdraw Permission from Rock Creek Mine, MT

Agencies withdraw Rock Creek Mine opinionIn a victory for conservationists opposed to the Rock Creek Mine beneath the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness in Montana, both the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) have withdrawn their approvals of the project, claiming that new information provided by environmentalists must be better considered.The USFWS was the first to withdraw its 2000 Biological Opinion that approved the mine despite evidence that it would harm grizzly bear populations. The agency withdrew the Opinion in light of recent litigation that revealed information "that we’re not so sure we covered well. There may be new information we need to look at." The agency’s action may be the first time a Biological Opinion has ever been withdrawn after it was issued.A day later, the USFS withdrew its approval of the project, stating that without the USFWS Opinion, there was not enough documentation to approve the project. However, Bob Castaneda, supervisor of the Kootenai National Forest, stood by his original decision and hopes to come to the same conclusion once the USFWS issues its new Biological Opinion.

For More Information: Missoulian:

http://www.missoulian.com/display/inn_news/news03.txt Missoulian: http://www.missoulian.com/archives/index.inn?loc=detail&doc=/2002/March/30-776-news03.txt Butte Montana Standard: http://www.mtstandard.com/newsregional/rnews.html Billings Gazette: http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2002/03/29/build/local/96-mine.inc Spokesman-Review: http://www.spokesmanreview.com/news-story.asp?date=032902&ID=s1124346

__________________________

Rock Creek Alliance: http://www.rockcreekalliance.org/

Clark Fork Coalition: http://www.clarkfork.org/

Mineral Policy Center: http://www.mineralpolicy.org/

Fish and Wildlife Service: http://www.fws.gov/

Kootenai National Forest: http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/kootenai

More Information on Mining Decisions.

http://www.wildernesswatch.org/guardian/2002/apr02.html

Sterling Mining Company

Background Information on Sterling Mining Companies

Rock Creek Project in Northwest Montana.

Sterling Mining Company Announces

Additional Property Acquisition in Northwest Montana

August 19, 2005

Sterling Mining Company Press Release


Sterling Property Acquisition


Revett Minerals Inc. was incorporated in August 2004,
and holds approximately 65% of the outstanding
shares of Revett Silver Company
New Owners of Rock Creek Mine
Have Spotty Records

Adding new players to the continuing debate about the feasibility of
the proposed Rock Creek mine, ASARCO recently sold the project,
along with the idle Troy mine, to Sterling Mining Co.

An investment Pitch from Sterling
The Coeur d'Alene Mining District is legendary.

Known as the "Silver Valley",
it is the richest primary silver-producing region on earth
Kootenai National Forest. Rock Creek Project.

Following 16 years of comprehensive

and detailed environmental analysis and review,

the Kootenai National Forest (NF)

today announced release of the Record of Decision (ROD) f

or Sterling Mining Company's Plan of

Operation for the Rock Creek Mine Project

in Sanders County, Montana.

Rock Creek Project

Archive Announcement

Information on the Rock Creek Project

In late June of 2003, regulators granted permits for a giant silver and copper mine that would sit above the Clark Fork River near Noxon, Montana, just upstream of Idaho's Lake Pend Oreille.

Revett Minerals Article

The Rock Creek Mine

Brian Peck's sport utility vehicle rattled up a steep logging road that wound through an old-growth forest, where moist air from the Pacific Ocean spurred the growth of hulking western cedars and western hemlocks.

As Peck drove higher, the ruts grew deeper and potholes and jagged rocks covered the eroded dirt road.

En-route to the Chicago Peak trailhead, Peck's passenger, Ceszar Hernandez, northwest regional representative for the Montana Wilderness Association, pointed out locations where two proposed Rock Creek Mine facilities would be built. The first would be a 380-acre pile of pulverized rock left over from mining called a tailings impoundment. The other would be the millings facility, where two long tunnels would lead 1,000 feet underground from what is now a fork in a primitive road.

The environmentalists planned the excursion to highlight the raw beauty of an area they say would be spoiled by the Rock Creek Mine. If you ask officials from Revett Minerals, however, the mine would do little to sully the scenic area.

Where the logging road ended in a cul de sac, Peck and a caravan of cars following him pulled over to hike a steep path through thick trees into the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness. The trail emerged on a ledge overlooking a cirque of green mountains and Rock Creek - a stronghold for threatened bull trout that runs through a valley toward the Clark Fork River.

Another a mile or so into the hike, a cliff overlooked Copper Lake, a small, brown-colored body of water in a bowl. To the left, Chicago Peak rose like the ruins of an old castle.

A quarter mile further, a mountain goat was a lone sentinel atop a rock face high above Cliff Lake, an emerald and tree-lined body of water at the brink of a precipice.

Jonathan Langer, of the Natural Resources Defense Council, picked up a heavy rock with fluorescent blue coloration.

The rock's blue veins, Langer explained, were copper deposits, and the reason for the showdown about the future of the wilderness area.

Doug Ward, vice president of corporate development for Revett Minerals, also loves to hike in the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness, where he boasts he saw two grizzly bears this spring.

And the Chicago Peak hike is among is among his favorites. He's confident that hike won't be any less beautiful once the mine is built. He's also sure that, eventually, there will be a Rock Creek Mine.

”We wouldn't be here if it wasn't going to happen,“ Ward said. ”If we were going to start today, we would still have four to five years to actually get it going.“

Once the mine goes in, Ward believes conditions will actually improve for grizzly bears and wildlife.

Revett Minerals has agreed to foot $20 million for environmental mitigation costs.

The Rock Creek Mine would physically disturb 482 acres, Ward said. With the mitigation money, he said Revett would purchase 2,450 acres within the grizzly corridor to be deeded back to the government or placed in a conservation easement.

The mining process would not harm water quality, and employees would be bused in to limit impacts on bears, Ward said.

The mine would use the room-and-pillar method to extract rock - rock columns would be left underground to support the weight of surface layers and limit subsidence. Extracted rock would be pulverized to a flour consistency and added to water, where biodegradable reagents and air would make mineral specks float to the top for removal.

The byproduct, 90 percent silica sand, could be sold for making glass or returned to the mine to help support surface layers, and enable Revett to leave thinner columns.

But as submitted, Revett's plans call for storing the tailings all in a surface pile.

”There's no cyanide involved in the process. What's left is just sand. The Rock Creek Mine will have two levels of water treatment that will meet or exceed both Idaho and Montana water quality standards,“ Ward said. ”There's a good scare tactic the opposition groups like. They refer to our water as wastewater. It's not that at all.“

To counter what Ward considers to be misinformation about the Rock Creek Mine, Revett plans to launch a public relations campaign and open a small information office at the heart of the lion's den - Sandpoint. It would likely be Ward's job to man the Sandpoint office.

”It's going to be some rough duty. At the same time, it's worth talking to people,“ Ward said. ”A lot of the perception is that Idaho gets all of the problems and none of the benefits. The problems had not been characterized properly, and we had been remiss in countering that.“

When members of the Idaho Legislature's Environmental Common Sense Committee were considering a resolution opposing the Rock Creek Mine, Revett invited them for a Sept. 14 tour. In addition to the proposed Rock Creek site, the dozen lawmakers saw Revett's only active mine in Troy, Libby's neighboring community in Lincoln County, Mont.

Ward points to the Troy Mine - built in 1980, closed in 1993 and reopened in December with 150 workers - as a success story. Environmentalists such as Hernandez beg to differ.

Hernandez blames the Troy Mine for contaminating nearby Lake Creek and spoiling a blue-ribbon fishery.

Libby's perspective

In the eyes of many in Libby, Brian Peck is one of the enemies - one of the ”enviros,“ as they're called in Lincoln County, Mont.

He's one of the people who rendered their high school's mascot, the Libby Logger, a relic from better times. Logging, once a major staple in Libby's economy, all but disappeared after the city's largest sawmill, Stimson, announced it was closing in October 2002.

And Peck and the other ”enviros“ have succeeded in delaying the Montanore Mine, which many residents believe would have otherwise brought back jobs to Libby already - jobs with the type of wages workers once drew from the sawmills and the W.R. Grace mine.

Libby sprawls four miles along U.S. Highway 2. As he drove through Libby, Peck passed the Two-bit RV Park, the Libby Pawn Shop, the Kootenai Forest Service Office, Lucky Lil's Casino, Maggies Casino and the Lucky Logger Casino. A street sign informed him he was 89 miles from Kalispell, Mont.

Libby does have its share of upscale homes, but they're mostly hidden in the trees.

The city is now a Superfund site, and some of its best jobs are provided by the Environmental Protection Agency's asbestos clean-up, which has cost hundreds of millions of dollars so far and is scheduled for completion in about five years.

Peck shook his head as he recounted what he considers to be a bitter irony.

”Now that we've poisoned their air, we'll poison their water,“ Peck said. ”If I were the Libby Chamber of Commerce, I'd really be pushing the environment (and tourism) once they get Libby cleaned up.“

The air poisoning, Peck explained, came from the vermiculite mine, which opened in 1924 and was operated by W.R. Grace from 1963 to 1990. Vermiculite was a product with a plethora of uses, including in landscaping projects throughout Libby. Among locals, the mine was known as ”Zonolite“ after the brand name of the insulation it made.

But the vermiculite also contained asbestos fibers. An estimated 1,500 people in the Libby area, which includes about 12,000 people, have reported asbestos-caused lung ailments. At least 200 have died from asbestosis.

The water poisoning, Peck said, will come if the Montanore Mine is built. The mine will likely be delayed for years, but Libby residents are confident that eventually, it will open, bringing with it 340 high-paying jobs.

In the meantime, Doug Ward, with Revett Minerals, believes the Rock Creek Mine will open and give Libby a boost. Revett expects a third of the Rock Creek Mine's workforce will come from Lincoln and Sanders counties in Montana and nearby Bonner County in Idaho.

”The people of Libby and Troy worked at Troy Mine for a long time and understand (Rock Creek will be) a completely different operation with completely different procedures than at the vermiculite mine,“ Ward said.

Mike Noble, the former W.R. Grace mine electrician, also considers comparing the Montanore proposal with ”Zonolite“ to be apples and oranges. He doesn't believe the mine would pose any ecological problems, and he believes people who would like to see Libby's economy turn around should tell their lawmakers they support it.

”How can a nation survive without working on its natural resources? That mining is there, and we do have the technology to take and make it safe,“ Noble said. ”We're all environmentalists because we don't want our water ruined, but I think the minority is running the country now because they get up and scream, and the majority lets them do it.“

LeRoy Thom, 50, worked at the W.R. Grace mine for 17 years. Thom currently operates an industrial welding and machine shop, and he said the Montanore Mine would mean business to him.

He, too, suffers from asbestosis. Thom has watched about 60 of his friends die from asbestosis, and one of his relatives who worked at the W.R. Grace mine has such damage to his lungs, it takes all of the energy he can muster to walk to his car.

”My (afflicted) lung functions,“ Thom said. ”It's a very strange disease. Some people worked side by side with me. They worked there for three or four years and have full blown asbestosis disease.“

He's currently vice chairman of a Libby group that uses EPA grant money to teach the public about the technical aspects of their city's ongoing clean-up.

But Thom believes times are different, and the Montanore Mine would be a welcome addition to the region. He, too, was on the spring bus trip to lobby the Montana governor in favor of the mine.

”The people involved in the state DEQ are so much more aware of impacts of bad situations. They're going to be more involved in watching and making sure things are done right,“ Thom said. ”I think a lot of these companies realize they can't do what they used to do.“

On an outside wall of Ardell Filler's business, Libby Sports, a sign hangs: ”I love Libby.“ He opened his business as a milk distributor in 1962 and got into sporting goods five years later.

Filler believes the health repercussions of the ”Zonolite“ mine were blown ”way out of proportion.“

”I have it in my lungs. That doesn't mean I'm going to lay down and die,“ Filler said. ”I still love Libby. It's still the best place to live and play.“

From his shop, he can see the Cabinet Mountains. He believes the mountains are home to more grizzly bears than the region can stand, and he blames environmentalists for interfering with Libby's economic progress.

”I don't care for the people. I don't care for what they're doing,“ Filler said. ”The thing they don't understand is when I go back in the woods, I look at what's growing back, not what they cut. It always grows back.“

This summer, a road construction project provided jobs in Libby. But it's a far cry from the logging and mining jobs of the past.

”The mine over there in Troy has been fabulous for all those years,“ Filler said. ”Now the technology is better than ever.“

In conversations with his electorate, Montana Rep. Ralph Heinert has heard few, if any, comments voiced against the Montanore Mine.

He believes there's no chance the mine would lead to contamination, but it would provide a major employer in Lincoln County, which typically has Montana's third or fourth highest unemployment rate now that logging and mining have dwindled.

”Libby has been losing employment for one reason or another on an annual basis. In my mind, the environmental radicals, they protest and appeal every logging project we have no matter how big. As a result, the last of our mills shut down in late July,“ Heinert said. ”It's really so different than what was involved with the vermiculite mine and the asbestos contamination that existed. The resilience of the people here - they understand that just because you have a problem with one type of resource use doesn't mean every resource is going to create a problem.“

Libby Mayor Tony Berget grew up in Libby but spent some time living in Pocatello. Back when Berget called the Gate City home, people were selling T-shirts: ”Last one to leave Pocatello turn off the lights.“

He said losses in jobs in Libby have crippled his city's schools, and Libby now faces the same turning point as Pocatello did back in 1990.

”This community has always has had a can-do attitude,“ Berget said. ”They've rolled up their sleeves and said, ‘This is our home. This is our town. We're going to do things about making things better.'“

In 2000 and 2001, Berget said the Libby housing market crashed based on fears about environmental contamination. The housing market is slowly returning to normal, he said.

”The whole state of Montana has been built on mines and logging. (The Mantanore Mine) would definitely provide a lot of jobs for individuals here,“ Berget said, adding Libby started as a gold-mining town. ”Everything around you is either grown or mined. If it's not done here, it's going to be done somewhere else, and it may not be done to a standard that protects our environment. I care about my fishing holes. I care about the world around me, and I don't want to live in a dump.

”We don't mine the way we did in 1920. Sometimes, it takes a mistake to find out how we can do it the right way.“

Northwest Montana Mining

Northwest Montana Transition and Environmental Issues

a Few years back, I had some clients that had found what they considered their dream home, they were a week from closing and read an article on the Internet about the Rock Creek Mine that was to drill under the Cabinet Wilderness, they, of course, ran from the deal. These potential buyers were shocked. of All the places in the world, Northwest Montana drilling under the wilderness and polluting the waters was so shocking they chose to NOT buy in the entire state. At the time I got very knowledgable about what was going on with the mine. And than one day I gave up, realizing that I could do nothing, realizing Northwest Montana was losing Timber as an industry and mines were supposedly coming to the rescue, realizing that "wilderness" meant nothing and that sacred spaces only existed until the government said we did not need them. NOW 3 years later, I thought You might like to have a website to know the issues of the situation and understand the parties ~ for your you education....

The things some love about Northwest Montana may be in jeopardy.

I read a mining plan that actual had a plan of action for daily removal of animal carcasses from "accidental death". How will this affect the animal population in Northwest Montana?

I am ALL for Northwest Montana having jobs. I just think that with the Power
of a Global Market at our Hands with the Internet, WHY are we still using
the Inside of the Earth and Jeapordizing our workers to Make Money.

It would seem that let the Roadless areas open for more logging and letting the mountains be drilled to create jobs for rural Northwest Montana would be a good thing. It would create GOOD jobs and life would move on. But guess what it is a blatant way for the Rich to get Richer while you give up your health to mining dust and logging accidents while the mining companies and the mill owners get richer and you still live paycheck to paycheck. If it is not good for all than why do it. The drilling deep into the core of the earth is about money, about conquering, about controlling you. Find a way to make BIG money like they do and keep your BEAUTIFUL BACK YARD for the camping, fishing, hunting, canoeing, family outings you love so much. DON'T LET THE MINING COMPANIES TRICK YOU INTO THINKING " ITS OK BECAUSE THERE WILL BE JOBS" THe jobs are not worth it. They will get so much more money than you it will make you sick. And "they" will not have dirt under their nails, they will have more than one home, and they will not look back... THEY will not protect your family.

This Is Not a New Issue.
But it Is an Issue.