Subscribe
  • News
    • Local
    • Regional
    • Business
    • Real Estate
    • Outlaw Partners
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Yellowstone
  • Events
Menu
  • News
    • Local
    • Regional
    • Business
    • Real Estate
    • Outlaw Partners
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Yellowstone
  • Events

Groups sue for records in Montana mine pollution case

in Regional
Groups sue for records in Montana mine pollution case
Kelley Mine, Butte Montana. PHOTO BY COLIN HANSON / FLIKR
EBS Staffby EBS Staff
March 17, 2022

ASSOCIATED PRESS

BILLINGS ­– Conservation groups are suing Gov. Greg Gianforte’s administration to obtain records related to its decision to drop legal claims against a mining executive over decades of pollution from several mines.

The groups, Earthworks and Montana Environmental Information Center, filed the lawsuit Tuesday, March 15 in state district court in Lewis and Clark County. They said they’ve been seeking the records since late November.

Article Inline Ad Article Inline Ad Article Inline Ad
ADVERTISEMENT

Gianforte spokesperson Brooke Stroyke said the governor’s office fulfills records requests in the order they are received and is fulfilling the groups’ request on that basis.

After Gianforte took office, his Republican administration quit a legal action that sought to block Idaho-based Hecla Mining Co. and its president, Phillips Baker Jr., from involvement in two proposed silver and copper mines in northwest Montana.

Baker was an executive with Pegasus Gold, which went bankrupt in 1998, leaving state and federal agencies with tens of million in cleanup costs at several mines, including the Zortman and Landusky mines near the Fort Belknap reservation.

A state “bad actor” law enacted in the wake of the Pegasus bankruptcy punishes companies and their executives who don’t clean up mining pollution. Under the law, companies and their senior leaders can’t receive new mining permits until they’ve reimbursed the state for past cleanup costs.

A separate legal challenge is pending against state officials for allegedly failing to follow that law.

ADVERTISEMENT
Outlaw Realty Outlaw Realty
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Listen

Hoary Marmot Podcast

Joe Borden & Michele Veale Borden

Lastest Episode
See More Episodes
outlaw realty montana outlaw realty montana
ADVERTISEMENT
Outlaw Realty Big Sky Bozeman
ADVERTISEMENT

Upcoming Events

Jul 19
11:00 am - 5:00 pm Event Series

June Show at the Big Sky Artists’ Studio & Gallery

Jul 19
11:00 am - 7:00 pm

Big Sky Artisan Festival

Jul 20
11:00 am - 5:00 pm Event Series

June Show at the Big Sky Artists’ Studio & Gallery

Jul 21
9:00 am - 12:00 pm Event Series

Community Hike Big Sky

Jul 21
11:00 am - 5:00 pm Event Series

June Show at the Big Sky Artists’ Studio & Gallery

View Calendar
Event Calendar

Related Posts

House committee signs off on delisting grizzly bear
Conservation

House committee signs off on delisting grizzly bear

July 18, 2025
Bozeman sidesteps new state law, adopts Pride flag
Regional

Bozeman sidesteps new state law, adopts Pride flag

July 18, 2025
Bear activity closes Cinnamon Buck Trail south of Big Sky
Regional

Bear activity closes Cinnamon Buck Trail south of Big Sky

July 17, 2025
Montana State graduate students see carbon fiber reshaping flying transportation 
Regional

Montana State graduate students see carbon fiber reshaping flying transportation 

July 16, 2025

An Outlaw Partners Publication

Facebook-f Instagram X-twitter Youtube

Explore Big Sky

  • About/Contact
  • Advertise
  • Publications
  • Subscriptions
  • Podcast
  • Submissions

Outlaw Brands

  • Mountain Outlaw
  • Plan Yellowstone
  • Big Sky PBR
  • Wildlands Music
  • Outlaw Partners
  • Outlaw Realty
  • Hey Bear

Copyright © 2025 Explore Big Sky | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Your Privacy Choices

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Regional
    • Business
    • Outlaw Partners
  • Yellowstone
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Real Estate
  • Events

©2024 Outlaw Partners, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Explore Big Sky Logo
  • News
    • Local
    • Regional
    • Business
    • Real Estate
    • Outlaw Partners
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Yellowstone
  • Events
Subscribe
Facebook X-twitter Instagram Youtube