High Country Citizens’ Alliance sues Colorado over recent mine decision

Enviro group says a bond is needed…

Local environmental organization High Country Citizens’ Alliance (HCCA) is suing the state over the decision by the Colorado Mined Reclamation Board to allow “prospecting” activities at the proposed Mt. Emmons Project. The Project would mine molybdenum from Mt. Emmons, which sits just west of the town of Crested Butte and is in its  municipal watershed.
HCCA, along with the Western Mining Action Project, filed the suit in Denver District Court on Wednesday, March 2.
“We firmly believe the mining company needs to put up a bond that should address water treatment issues,” explained HCCA executive director Dan Morse.
The Colorado Mined Land Reclamation Board, which oversees all mining decisions in the state, granted final approval for the proposal in January 2011, but failed to require any bonding amount for the treatment of polluted water from the Project.
According to a HCCA press release, “The approved activities include the construction of a mining drift that would be 8 feet wide by 10 feet high generating as much as 15,000 cubic yards of waste material, which is described as having the potential to generate acid mine discharge. This mining drift would be used to conduct a program of delineation drilling of the ore body. Many of the residents of the Town of Crested Butte are concerned about the project’s impacts because the activities would take place within the town’s municipal drinking watershed.”
HCCA had asked the state to reconsider its decision and appeared before the board at an appeal hearing last January. The board denied the request.
“Bonding for the cleanup of polluted water from mining activities is a bedrock standard of Colorado mining law,” said Morse. “HCCA filed this case because the state has refused to provide bonding protection required by law to protect local water supplies. This mine site presents a substantial contamination threat in the Crested Butte watershed, and it must be carefully regulated—at minimum this means a bond for water treatment necessary for the mining operation.”
Jeff Parsons, attorney for HCCA at the Western Mining Action Project said, “This case will set the standard across the state. Coloradans have the right to expect that the state will ensure the protection of water quality and require companies to be financially responsible for their pollution.”
“The bottom line is that we would like to see a substantial bond for water treatment before the state approves a permit for the drift,” emphasized Morse.
Mt. Emmons Project director of community relations Perry Anderson said he could not comment on the situation, given it is in pending litigation.