Indianz.Com > News > Montana Free Press: Fort Belknap Indian Community blasts state over mining decision

Tribes, conservation groups challenge DEQ over ending ‘bad actor’ lawsuit
State environmental agency has abandoned a lawsuit against a mining executive once involved in a company that left taxpayers on the hook for millions
Wednesday, August 11, 2021
Montana Free Press
The Fort Belknap Indian Community and a coalition of environmental nonprofit groups said this week they plan to sue the Montana Department of Environmental Quality for failing to uphold its duties under the Metal Mine Reclamation Act.
In a filing August 2 in Lewis and Clark County District Court, the groups said they were “disappointed” by DEQ’s recent decision not to label Hecla president Phillips Baker, Jr. a “bad actor” for failing to clean up the Zortman-Landusky gold mine when he served as vice president of Pegasus Gold. Pegasus filed for bankruptcy in 1998, leaving the state with an acid mine drainage clean-up effort that’s expected to continue for generations.
The agency’s decision to dismiss the lawsuit seeking to designate Hecla and Baker as “bad actors” means that Hecla won’t have to reimburse the state for tens of millions of dollars it’s spent cleaning up the Zortman-Landusky Mine in north-central Montana before it can move forward with two proposed silver and copper mines in northwest Montana.

“It is DEQ and the Gianforte Administration’s responsibility to uphold the law and not allow Hecla Mining and Baker to profit from new mines while the Fort Belknap Indian Community and other Montana communities continue to struggle with ongoing mining pollution,” Werk said. “Their decision to forego enforcement of the law is wrong, plain and simple.” Hecla and DEQ didn’t immediately respond to Montana Free Press’ request for comment Tuesday afternoon.In the Inadequate Infrastructure Bill, Abandoned #Mining Cleanup Program is a Silver Lining — by @dominguez_raquehttps://t.co/VCbcyXZ6i3 @PLANevada @AmigosBravos1 @MTEIC @SJCAlliance @idconservation @INFORMining
— Earthworks (@Earthworks) August 4, 2021
Billings native Amanda Eggert covers environmental issues for MTFP. Amanda is a graduate of the University of Montana School of Journalism who has written for Outside magazine and Outlaw Partners. At Outlaw Partners she led coverage for the biweekly newspaper Explore Big Sky. Contact Amanda at aeggert@montanafreepress.org.
Note: This story originally appeared on Montana Free Press. It is published under a Creative Commons license.
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