On Monday night, I attended an interesting community meeting organized by some concerned Crested Butte citizens about a proposed molybdenum mine on neighboring Mt. Emmons.
The meeting hosted speakers from two organizations devoted to fighting the development of a mine, the High Country Citizens’ Alliance and the Red Lady Coalition, along with other residents who each provided a unique perspective on the mountain and mining.
During the evening, a picture emerged of how this battle is being waged beyond the regulatory environment being created by town and county officials.
HCCA has taken up the responsibility of monitoring U.S. Energy (and formerly Kobex Resources) as it attempts to permit mining operations on the mountain. HCCA has a talented full-time staff with mining expertise, who are the watchdogs as this proposal moves forward. For example, the organization alerted the public of Kobex Resource’s plan to drill an exploratory tunnel in Mt. Emmons and announced their intention to contest it before the state Mined Land Reclamation Board. At the same time, HCCA is continuing its colorful campaigns—leading parades, selling prayer flags and bracelets with the Red Lady leading the charge.
The Red Lady Coalition has shouldered the long-term task of finding a permanent end to the threat of mining on Mt. Emmons. Coalition board member Denis Hall listed the group’s accomplishments since it formed last fall. Specifically, he cited the success of the “Big Bite” initiative, which brought a wide range of groups together to call the Forest Service to require full build-out disclosure from the mining company. He also spoke about the Coalition’s relationship with mining analysts from JP Morgan, its new relationship with the law firm DLA Piper, which he said has a pro bono budget of $54 million annually. “That blows my mind, those are the kinds of resources we didn’t have 30 years ago,” he said. Hall said the group is now working hard to attain its non-profit organization status and find another group willing to act as a financial pass-through so it could start fundraising in earnest.
Red Lady Coalition president Bill Ronai said the group is now attempting to convince U.S. Energy to leave. He said that if the community was to take responsibility for the water treatment facility, it would expect to get paid. Ronai said the group would be asking U.S. Energy to open its books to reveal how much it costs to operate and maintain the water treatment facility. However, he could not go into specifics. “I apologize if you think you’re not getting all the message—you’re not—but there’s a reason for it,” he said. Hall was a bit more forthcoming. He said the strategy would be multi-prong and could involve the turnover of the water treatment plant, the purchase of 365 acres of private land and the withdraw from mineral entry of 5,000 acres of unpatented lands through congressional action.
With Monday night’s meeting, a third group of people has emerged. Loosely organized with no identified leaders, the group is hoping to engage citizens in “creative actions” designed to give people a way to contribute to the fight that goes a step beyond monetary donations and letter-writing campaigns. The group’s first effort will be a candlelight processional on Monday, April 21 to show solidarity with the Town Council’s work to revise its protective watershed ordinance.
I think all these groups are performing important tasks and doing an admirable job. None of the groups is perfect—each has some rough edges that need to be worked out. I’d urge HCCA and RLC, particularly the latter, to communicate as thoroughly and efficiently as possible its plans. News that’s been talked about around town shouldn’t wait five weeks before it’s made official. While there’s a danger of tipping your hand, there’s also a risk the public will grow disenchanted if they’re not part of the process. For the new group of citizens, I’d urge them to walk the talk—if you say you want to hear all views on a subject, be respectful of the answers you get.
Most importantly, I’d urge these groups to be upfront and in true communication with each other. As middle school student Jackson Melnick said on Monday night, “We need one clear vision. I think that’s what it’s going to take to be over once and for all.” I couldn’t agree more.
-Aleesha Towns

Several changes to Mountaineer Square North plan

Crested Butte Mountain Resort’s (CBMR) latest iteration of Mountaineer Square North seems a leap ahead of its predecessor, but despite the improvements and new features, the Mt. Crested Butte Planning Commission feels the proposed development still has some challenges to overcome. Read More »

Crested Butte received good news this week with the announcement from Vancouver-based Kobex Resources Ltd that they were pulling out of the Lucky Jack molybdenum project.
The announcement validated the prediction of industry analyst John Kaiser, who said last month that Kobex had underestimated resistance to a mine on Mt. Emmons and would move on to greener pastures.
In a press release dated March 31, Kobex cited the tangle of local, state, and federal laws—and pending mining reform in the state and federal legislatures—as motivation behind their departure.
Specifically, the release pointed to the proposed overhaul of the 1872 Mining Law and Colorado House Bill 1165, which would give the veto power over mining development and operations to local governments. Kobex also cited the ongoing revisions of Gunnison County’s special development project regulations and the town of Crested Butte’s protective watershed ordinance as cause for their concern. “If enacted, these initiatives would result in more restrictive and prohibitive practices for project development in the mining industry,” stated Kobex chairman Roman Shklanka. “This has created an uncertain permitting process with no clear regulatory authority and places into question what mineral title represents.”
Those words should be sweet validation for work that local officials have been pursuing in recent months.
As of late, those same officials have been criticized for not doing enough in the Red Lady fight in a public manner. However, this regulatory and legislative environment did not create itself.  In fact, it’s been the efforts of many organizations, along with town and county officials, including Crested Butte Town Manager Susan Parker, Crested Butte Mayor Alan Bernholtz, and Town attorney John Belkin. These people, along with the Red Lady Coalition and High Country Citizens’ Alliance (HCCA), have worked tirelessly in recent months to make legislators aware of the situation in Crested Butte and the need for comprehensive mining reform.
It hasn’t been flashy work but it has been very successful. They deserve this community’s thanks.
Of course, there is no rest for the weary. The threat of mining on Mt. Emmons still exists and the need for reforms has not diminished.
The same day Kobex Resources made its announcement, U.S. Energy Corp. renewed its pledge to pursue a mining project on Mt. Emmons. As U.S. Energy community relations director Perry Anderson said this week, “We still have an economically feasible project and we’ll go forward with it.”  In a press release U.S. Energy CEO Keith Larsen said, “We are evaluating all of our options in regards to the property, which may include bringing a much larger mining company in as a joint venture partner.”
The message is that they’re not going away anytime soon. And of course, this community’s efforts to thwart mining development on Mt. Emmons cannot cease either. And so we move onto the next chapter.

Community members rejoice

In a victory for community members fighting the development of a molybdenum mine on Mt. Emmons, one of the mining companies has pulled out of the project. Vancouver, B.C.- based Kobex Resources Ltd. announced on Monday, March 31 that it was terminating its partnership with U.S. Energy Corp., citing regulatory and legal uncertainties. Read More »

Community members rejoice

In a victory for community members fighting the development of a molybdenum mine on Mt. Emmons, one of the mining companies has pulled out of the project. Vancouver B.C.- based Kobex Resources Ltd. announced on Monday, March 31 that it was terminating its partnership with U.S. Energy Corp. citing regulatory and legal uncertainties.  

Read More »

$48,000 to Peanut Mine work

After extensive negotiations, the Mt. Crested Butte Water and Sanitation District has reached a settlement agreement with the state regarding an unreported wastewater spill two years ago.

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DLA Piper agrees to take on Red Lady Case

The Red Lady Coalition (RLC) has retained DLA Piper to represent them on a pro bono basis in opposing the “Lucky Jack” mine on Mt. Emmons. Read More »

Public hearings coming up

Protecting the town’s water supply from the effects of future development—including a proposed molybdenum mine on Mt. Emmons—was the subject of a Crested Butte Town Council work session on Monday, March 17. The Town Council reviewed the first draft of its amended Watershed Protection Ordinance, which will replace the town’s existing ordinance.
Read More »

Tentative date set for hearing

A new exploratory tunnel approved by the state of Colorado on Mt. Emmons will likely be reviewed by a state board. Read More »

Opposition calls it good news

At least one stock analyst is telling his subscribers to bet on Kobex Resources Ltd. pulling out of the Lucky Jack project within months. However, the company has given no indication thus far it will do so. Read More »