The Montana Department of Environmental Quality is adding an additional public scoping meeting for the proposed Black Butte copper mine outside White Sulphur Springs. That brings the number of scheduled meetings to four.
The first is October 30 in Great Falls. The second will be November 1 in White Sulphur Springs. The third, and newly scheduled meeting will be held in Helena on Monday, November 6. The fourth meeting will be in Livingston on Tuesday, November 7.
All the meetings will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. and are part of the process for preparing an Environmental Impact Statement under the Montana Environmental Policy Act.
A DEQ press release says DEQ is scheduling the additional meeting in response to broad public interest in the underground copper mine being proposed by Tintina Montana.
The company hopes to start construction on the mine in 2018, and says it will bring at least 240 high-paying jobs to the area.
Tintina has maintained from the beginning that it can mine in a way that will not harm the environment. Mine opponents are concerned about its proximity to a tributary of the Smith River.
The EIS that DEQ is soliciting public comment for will analyze the mine’s potential impacts and serve as the review for other potential permits that the agency may issue, including for air quality, a public water supply permit and surface water discharge. It also lays out how the mining operation proposed in Tintina’s application complies with the Metal Mine Reclamation Act.
DEQ is asking for comments from federal, tribal, state and local governments and interested persons and groups that help identify issues likely to involve significant impacts and possible alternatives to be considered in the EIS.
The scoping period began October 2, 2017, and ends Thursday, November 16, 2017.
The public scoping meetings will be held at the following locations, dates and times:
- Great Falls Civic Center, 2 Park Drive South, Great Falls, Montana, on Monday, October 30 from 6 to 9 p.m.
- White Sulphur Springs High School Gymnasium, 405 South Central Avenue, White Sulphur Springs, Montana, on Wednesday, November 1 from 6 to 9 p.m.
- Radisson Colonial Hotel, 2301 Colonial Drive, Helena, Montana, on Monday, November 6 from 6 to 9 p.m.
- Park County High School Gymnasium, 102 View Vista Drive, Livingston, Montana, on Tuesday, November 7 from 6 to 9 p.m.
The permit application is available for the public to view at DEQ’s main office in Helena (1520 East 6th Avenue). The application may also be viewed by visiting DEQ’s website http://deq.mt.gov/Land/hardrock/tintinamines
Scoping comments may be submitted at one of the public meetings, electronically to: deqtintinablackbuttecopperproject@mt.gov, or by postal mail to the following address:
Craig Jones
Department of Environmental Quality
P.O. Box 200901
Helena, MT 59620-0901
Questions on the environmental review may also be directed to Craig. Jones electronically crajones@mt.gov or 406-444-0514. Comments must be submitted to DEQ no later than November 16, 2017.
