The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Working with senator’s office
By Mark Reaman
Meetings and negotiations are continuing to take place between Mt. Emmons mine owner Freeport McMoRan and the town of Crested Butte. Town attorney John Belkin and Crested Butte planner Michael Yerman travelled to Denver Tuesday, November 8, for a meeting with the Forest Service, the mine company and U.S. Senator Michael Bennet’s office.
They spent the meeting going over a draft bill that Bennet would bring to the U.S. Congress. The bill would provide for a congressional withdrawal of mineral rights on Mt. Emmons. Obtaining that withdrawal would prohibit any future mining on Mt. Emmons.
“We met yesterday for several hours in Denver,” said Belkin. “We will continue to do so until the bill gets adopted, if at all. Freeport is committed to the withdrawal and is a great team member in this. We owe them a great deal of thanks. Senator Bennet’s office is working hard on it as well with all the stakeholders. Ideally, the senator can get this through an act of Congress with the president signing it into law. The vibe from his office has been super positive and they are doing everything they can but they are realistic. This requires an act of congress and that’s never easy. They have been great to work with and are doing everything they can to make this happen.”
The staff will give an update on the Mt. Emmons developments at the special November 14 Town Council meeting that was to be focused on the short-term rental issues in town.
