Mining update: Stibnite + Breccia objection
Monitoring groundwater standards is another critical element to stopping Stibnite Mine and Perpetua Resources from moving further with this detrimental mining project. Photo credit: EcoFlight
As IRU and our partners wait for the Forest Service to finalize its review of public comments and publish the final Environmental Impact Statement for the Stibnite Gold Project that is expected sometime this winter, we have continued to monitor and work on additional permits that will ultimately be required before the proposed mine could become operational.
This month, Idaho Rivers United, along with the Idaho Conservation League and Save the South Fork Salmon, submitted comments on the proposed Points of Compliance for groundwater monitoring through the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). This lesser-known regulatory element establishes a monitoring network of wells to ensure that groundwater quality standards are met as outlined within the Idaho Groundwater Quality Rule.
In their application to DEQ, Perpetua proposed two Point of Compliance wells and 13 indicator wells spread among five areas within the mine site; Meadow Creek, Middle East Fork South Fork between Meadow Creek and the Yellow Pine Pit, Middle East Fork South Fork below the Yellow Pine Pit, Sugar Creek, and a Lower East Fork South Fork monitoring area.
After reviewing the application and materials submitted by Perpetua, DEQ concluded that the proposed monitoring network would be “insufficient to adequately assure groundwater is protected outside the mine areas, specifically considering the interconnection of groundwater and surface water at the site.” DEQ determined that an adequate network would consist of 11 Point of Compliance wells and eight indicator wells.
In addition to the changes to the monitoring network, Perpetua will be required to submit an annual report summarizing the data that was collected and any anomalies encountered or possible data gaps. DEQ will use this report to determine Perpetua’s compliance with groundwater quality standards and has the ability to shift well locations or require additional monitoring sites to better analyze compliance.
IRU is pleased to see DEQ propose a more robust monitoring network than was initially put forward by Perpetua and that they had taken a harder look at the site hydrology in this complex mine plan. We did raise a number of concerns in our comments regarding the transparency of background data and requested regular modeling updates and additional clarification regarding monitoring schedules, compliance, and enforcement.
In other mining news, IRU and ICL came to a resolution of our joint objection to the draft Environmental Assessment that was published for the Breccia Beta Exploratory Drilling project near Salmon, ID, which is situated between Porphyry and Musgrove Creek within the already heavily explored and impacted Panther Creek drainage. Our objection was focused on the lack of water quality monitoring that was incorporated into the plan.
In the draft Environmental Assessment, the Forest Service stated that they did not expect the project to encounter any groundwater nor have measurable impacts on surrounding surface waters and did not require any sampling before, during, or after drilling. However, the courts have repeatedly ruled that a lack of baseline analysis and ongoing monitoring violates NEPA’s required “hard look” at the potential environmental impacts these types of projects may have. Without adequate background data and concurrent monitoring during drilling, it is impossible to truly understand if the project in question impacts the ground or surface waters surrounding the site.
As a result of this objection and resolution meeting, the Forest Service agreed to require four surface water monitoring locations to be added to the project that will capture up and downgradient inputs to help assess any potential impacts on surface water. Additionally, if any groundwater is encountered on the project site, either in a drill hole or from an identified spring or seep, the operator will be required to conduct groundwater sampling following the same methodology outlined in the surface water monitoring plan for this project.
