OHA appeals FS EIS for Proposed Buckhorn Mine Access and Other Facilities

March 21, 2007

from Okanogan Highlands Alliance

Okanogan Highlands Alliance today appealed the USDA Forest Service (FS) final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Buckhorn Access Project that was issued January 17, 2007. The FS decision approves two main things: a 24-foot-wide road along Marias Creek to accommodate more than 100 30-ton ore trucks per day; and the discharge of water from dewatering Buckhorn Mountain so Kinross Gold Company can mine deep in the aquifer.

OHA contends that the FS failed to choose the least damaging alternative. Their plan, amongst other issues, violates the Clean Water Act, INFISH, its own Forest Plan, and fails to protect Federal Reserved Water Rights.

"The Forest Service's decisions are based on the false premise that it must approve any activity on public land requested by the mining company, no matter how destructive. Recent federal court decisions have firmly ruled against the agency's position. It appears that the Forest Service officials have not gotten the message," said Roger Flynn, attorney with the Western Mining Action Project, the non-profit law firm representing OHA in this appeal.

In an extensive 54 page appeal with attachments, OHA alleges specific inadequacies, failures, and violations of law. A summary of the appeal can be found at www.okanoganhighlandsalliance.org . The Regional Forester will have 45 days to respond to OHA's appeal.

"The FS as well as the Washington State Department of Ecology have segmented the mine's environmental review and permitting process into small pieces to avoid addressing the significant impacts to our water and peoples lives," states David Kliegman, director of the Okanogan Highlands Alliance. "It is a sad day when we must rely on citizen groups to challenge the regulatory agencies for their failure to enforce the laws they are responsible to uphold."

The proposed gold mine on Buckhorn Mountain is predicted to cause a permanent shift in the way water flows off the mountain, adversely affecting senior water rights. These impacts would continue long after mining has ceased, as water that should flow in creeks would go instead to refill the drained aquifer. The mine has still not received water rights for the project because their plan fails to mitigate the adverse impacts from dewatering the mountain and, so, is not in the public interest.

The Okanogan Highlands Alliance is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to educating the public about the environmental threats of large-scale mining.

Contacts: David Kliegman, Okanogan Highlands Alliance: 509-485-3361
Roger Flynn, Western Mining Action Project: 303-823-5738