Next steps for Rock Creek Mine taking shape

Hecla Montana says the next steps for the Rock Creek Mine in the western part of Sanders County is starting to take shape.

“In July, a small group of Northwest Montana folks went to Washington, D.C. to meet with agency leaders and our elected delegation.  The group had two very specific requests of the Forest Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service,” said Bruce Vincent of Environomics.

He went ON to say that back in the middle of last year the groups spoke with the Chief of the Forest Service Tony Tooke.

Vincent said the time frame from requesting to fill the geologist positions with the Forest Service was quicker than most.

“It was great to see that our requests were taken seriously and that the government was pro active in getting these mines moving forward,” he continued to say.

As of the first of the 2018 calendar year both positions were filled and had begun to put the wheels in motion.

“Those meetings seem to have borne fruit,” said Vincent.

“The USFS has placed two geologists in Libby to work on the mining projects.  They are completing their work on the Rock Creek permit and we hope that they will issue the final Record of Decision (ROD) for Phase 1 Evaluation in March.  The USFS also decided to break Montanore permitting processes into phases, as we asked, and are completing the needed work to accomplish this phased approach,” he continued to say.

Vincent said that the USFS will be asking for public comment on that decision early in the coming summer.

Further, the Fish and Wildlife began issuing community updates on their progresses on the projects starting last October.

“They’ve been meeting important and necessary timelines in accomplishing the needed work,” said Vincent.

There has been a decision issued on Rock Creek that confirms that the elevation phase of the project will not impact the endangered species of the area.

“They are now working on Montanore and will have their part of that permitting process completed by late spring,” said Vincent.

Over the coming weeks there will be community meetings at three locations for the public to attend and get more information. Dates and locations were not made available at time of press.