Mining company asks to use Taft area roads

On April 8, 2016 the U.S. Department of Agriculture released a statement that Transatlantic of Idaho LLC had requested to conduct an exploratory drilling project on lands administered by the Idaho Panhandle National Forests.

The project boundary is entirely on the Idaho Panhandle National Forest; however, access routes to the project area include National Forest System roads that are administered by the Superior Ranger District of the Lolo National Forests.

The project area is located within the Kelly and Brushy Creek drainages within the St. Joe Sub-basin in the Spokane Basin. The project area is accessed from the Taft exit on Interstate 90, west of St. Regis via Randolph Creek Road to Rainy Creek Road.

All drilling and necessary exploration equipment will be trucked to a staging area via a lowboy on existing open travel routes. The company proposed ten sites for exploration. Drill core holes will be drilled to depths between 450 and 2,000 feet. The drill rig would utilize a recirculating fluid recycling system and storage for the drilling equipment in addition to collection of drill cuttings.

Only natural bentonite and organic polymers would be utilized in the drilling fluids. Upon completion of the drilling operation, drill cuttings would be removed and disposed of in compliance with the State of Idaho and Federal Regulations, and drill water would be pumped back into a water truck and reused at the next site or disposed of in compliance with State and Federal regulations.

All lands disturbed during the activities in this proposal would be reclaimed and disturbed areas would be seeded with the Forest Services approved seed mix, where appropriate.

This notice provides an opportunity for those interested in or affected by this project to comment and make their concerns known. Written, facsimile, hand-delivered, oral, and electronic comments will be accepted for 30 calendar days following April 8, 2016.

Mail comments to 3815 Schreiber Way, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, 83815. Or email to: comments-northern-idpanhandle-stjoe@fs.fed.us.