CUSTER GALLATIN NATIONAL FOREST
LIVINGSTON – The Custer Gallatin National Forest and Montana Department of Environmental Quality are extending the comment period until Aug. 20 for a proposed mineral exploration project located approximately seven miles southeast of Emigrant, Mont.
The proposed project, submitted by Lucky Minerals Inc., will assess copper, gold, silver and molybdenum potential by drilling up to 30 exploration holes in 12 locations.
The drill sites are located within four unpatented mining claims on the western flank of Emigrant Peak, and five unpatented claims on the eastern side of Emigrant Creek. Exploratory drilling would occur in 2016 and agency representatives are extending the public comment period to allow for ample input, according to Yellowstone District Ranger Alex Sienkiewicz.
“Public comment helps to determine significant issues that may arise, but comments do need to be substantive to the exploration project at hand,” Sienkiewicz said.
Once comments are received, the Forest Service will analyze feedback from the process and this information will help determine the level of analysis that will be applied to the proposal, according to Sienkiewicz. “We have not yet made this determination,” she said.
Proposed activities would involve conducting core drilling at up to nine sites within the existing prism of Forest Service Roads 3272 and 3273. Two of the proposed drill sites along Forest Service Road 3273 are located within the North Absaroka inventoried roadless area, and three of the proposed sites located east of Emigrant Creek would be accessed via helicopter.
The three helicopter-supported sites would occupy drill sites previously used in 1991, and to minimize new disturbance no new road construction is proposed for the project. Once the exploratory drilling is complete, drill holes would be plugged, drill pads would be reclaimed, and all incidental disturbances would be restored to a pre-drilling condition.
Project information including the Emigrant Project Mineral Exploration Plan of Operations is available at fs.usda.gov/custergallatin by clicking on “NEPA and Public Scoping Documents.”
Call Peter Werner at (406) 587-6962 with additional questions. Submit proposal comments by Aug. 20 to: Peter Werner, Project Lead, Custer Gallatin National Forest Supervisors Office, 10 E. Babcock, Bozeman, MT 59715; or by email: fs-comments-northern-gallatin@fs.fed.us.
All comments received, including names and addresses of those who comment, will be public record.
