Forest Service withdraws approval of Perpetua Resources’ Burntlog Route Geophysical Investigations Project

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, July 16, 2024

Contacts: 

Julia Thrower, Mountain Top Law, (208) 271-6503

Mary Faurot Petterson, Save the South Fork Salmon, (208) 630-3230

Nick Kunath, Conservation Director, Idaho Rivers United, (208) 908-9232

John Robison, Public Lands and Wildlife Director, Idaho Conservation League, (208) 345-6933 x 213

MCCALL, ID — On July 11, 2024, the Boise National Forest released a letter to the general public announcing that the Forest Service has withdrawn its approval of Perpetua Resources’ Burntlog Route Geophysical Investigations Project.

Perpetua Resources has identified the Burntlog Route as its preferred access route to the controversial Stibnite Gold Project, a proposed open pit cyanide vat leach mine underneath the riverbed of the East Fork South Fork Salmon River. 

The site of Perpetua’s proposed open-pit Stibnite Gold Mine is currently accessible via the Johnson Creek and Yellow Pine-Stibnite Roads. However, Perpetua prefers to build a new access road, known as the “Burntlog Route.” This new access route would require widening 23 miles of an existing Forest Service Road (Road 447) and constructing another 15 miles of new road through the Black Lake and Meadow Creek Inventoried Roadless Areas, along the boundary of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness.

A portion of the route is also located next to Burnt Log Creek, which is eligible for protection under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The creek provides critical habitat for Chinook salmon, steelhead, bull trout, and westslope cutthroat trout.

In order to determine if the route is feasible for mining vehicles and equipment, Perpetua sought permission from the Forest Service to extract 40 core samples from 24 drill pads along the proposed route at proposed rock quarries, bridge abutments, cut slopes, and earth wall locations. Although not widely noted, the project would have also provided Perpetua with additional information about potential mineral resources.

The project was authorized in March 2024. Following approval, Save the South Fork Salmon, Idaho Rivers United, and the Idaho Conservation League filed a legal complaint in federal court to overturn the Burntlog Route Geophysical Investigations Project. On July 1, 2024, Perpetua Resources withdrew its Plan of Operations and asked the Forest Service to analyze the geophysical investigations as part of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the larger Stibnite Gold Project.

“We are pleased to see that the Forest Service has withdrawn approval of the Burntlog Geophysical Investigations Project,” said Julia Thrower of Mountain Top Law, who represents the conservation groups. “The option of accessing the proposed Stibnite Gold Mine via the Burntlog Route should be analyzed in conjunction with the overall mining operation rather than as a stand-alone project.”

Perpetua’s Stibnite Gold Project involves a 720-foot deep open pit underneath the riverbed of the East Fork South Fork Salmon River, along with two other pits, constructing permanent mine waste dumps, and filling upper Meadow Creek with 100 million tons of mine tailings behind a 475-foot high tailings dam. Pollution generated by mining activities would require water treatment for centuries to come.

“We commend the Boise National Forest on the decision to withdraw the Burntlog Project,” said Mary Faurot Petterson of Save the South Fork Salmon. “This action solidifies what we said all along: the Forest Service acted presumptively in permitting a separate action that is clearly linked to the larger Stibnite proposal, and therefore should be analyzed as part of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the mine.”

“While unfortunate that it required legal pressure from our organizations to reverse this decision, we are thrilled to see this outcome,” said Nick Kunath, Conservation Director at Idaho Rivers United. “Considering how controversial this project has proven to be, it’s imperative that all associated impacts be analyzed holistically in the pending FEIS.” 

“This project had looked like another example of Perpetua Resources trying to cut corners to get the Stibnite Gold Project permitted,” said John Robison, Public Lands and Wildlife Director for the Idaho Conservation League. “This track record raises even more questions about Perpetua’s ability to successfully operate, close, and reclaim an open pit mine in such a sensitive location. We will be reviewing the FEIS closely to see how thoroughly Perpetua and the Forest Service address all of the impacts to clean water and other public resources.” 

Back in 2022, the Forest Service had to take the unusual step of issuing a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement after the original mine proposal was found to have multiple flaws. Earlier this year, the Idaho Office of Administrative Hearings found that Perpetua’s original water rights application was inconsistent with the local public interest and amended it to better protect Chinook salmon. This spring, the Board of Directors for the Department of Environmental Quality remanded Perpetua’s Air Quality Permit after determining that mine workers would be exposed to dangerous levels of arsenic.

The Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Stibnite Gold Project is expected to be released in the fall of 2024.

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