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Montana tribes take battle over gold mines to court
Tuesday, May 4, 2004
A federal judge held a hearing in the Fort Belknap Tribes suit against the Bureau of Land Management over two abandoned gold mines near the reservation.
The Assiniboine and Gros Ventre Tribes say the BLM never consulted them in regard to the management of the Zortman-Landusky gold mines. The tribes say the BLM failed to protect their natural resources and sacred lands.
The mines are located on sacred land that was taken from the tribes. The mine operators destroyed the Little Rocky Mountains and contaminated the site with cyanide.
The tribes filed another lawsuit earlier this year against the BLM, the state of Montana and the current owners of the mines. The suit alleges violations of the Clean Water Act.
Get the Story:
Tribes attack BLM for broken trust over mines
(The Great Falls Tribune 5/4)
Relevant BLM Documents:
Record
of Decision |
Final
Environmental Impact Statement
Relevant Links:
Fort Belknap Community Council -
http://tlc.wtp.net/fort.htm
Related Stories:
Fort Belknap Tribes sue over abandoned gold
mines (01/30)
Mont. tribes
fight to clean up old gold mines (11/18)
Mont. tribes sue over cleanup of mines near
reservation (10/29)
Mont.
mine cleanup bill killed for losing teeth (03/28)
Mont. mine cleanup bill clears one
hurdle (3/27)
Mont.
tribal members want mines cleaned up (03/19)
Mont. tribes offer mine tours
(05/30)
Tribes plan to challenge
mine plan (5/6)
Mont. tribes
want mine cleanup (5/3)
Cleanup of mine near reservation
costly (1/9)
Fort Belknap
tribes push mine cleanup (10/1)
Mont. tribes lose mining auction (9/5)
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