IRU & partners challenge the Forest Service’s approval of the Burntlog Route at Stibnite
IRU and partners are challenging the approval of the Burntlog Route near Stibnite Mine. Photo credit : IRU staff
Idaho Rivers United and our partners at Save the South Fork Salmon moved to officially challenge the Forest Service’s approval of the Burntlog Route Geophysical Investigation earlier this month. The investigation project allows Perpetua Resources to use helicopters and heavy machinery to drill boreholes and excavate test pits at 40 locations within three Idaho Roadless Areas and the eligible Wild and Scenic River corridor of Burntlog Creek.
As our members are likely well aware, the Forest Service is currently reviewing Perpetua’s plan to construct the Stibnite Gold Project, which proposes three open-pit mines, a cyanidation processing facility, and associated mine waste storage in the headwaters of the East Fork of the South Fork Salmon River.
As part of that review, the Forest Service is analyzing two different mine site access routes. The Johnson Creek Route alternative would access the mine site using existing National Forest system roads, while the Burntlog Route alternative would require constructing approximately 15 miles of new road through inventoried roadless areas directly adjacent to the border of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness and widening 23 miles of existing road. At nearly 9,000 feet in elevation, the Burntlog Route would be Idaho's second-highest road maintained year-round.
IRU and Save the South Fork Salmon argue that the Forest Service violated federal law by failing to consider the Burntlog geophysical investigation in the larger Stibnite Gold Project review. Our filings also allege that the Forest Service failed to properly account for impacts to species protected by the Endangered Species Act, including whitebark pine, wolverine, bull trout, and Chinook salmon.
The South Fork Salmon watershed is a cornerstone of efforts to restore threatened Chinook salmon, steelhead trout, and bull trout. The Forest Service views the watershed as the “most important remaining habitat for summer Chinook salmon in the Columbia River Basin.” Burntlog Creek itself has been identified as containing critical habitat for bull trout, Chinook salmon, and steelhead.
This challenge comes on the heels of Perpetua’s required air quality permit being rescinded due to an appeal brought by the Nez Perce Tribe, Save The South Fork Salmon, and ICL. The review board found that Perpetua and DEQ had relied on “creative” math to stretch the bounds of permissible air quality degradation resulting from ore excavation and hauling.
We anticipate a ruling on whether the Burntlog Route Geophysical Investigation can proceed before the Forest Service publishes its larger analysis of the Stibnite Gold Project sometime this summer.
