Administration to protect land near Yellowstone from mining
Interior Secretary Sally Jewel has taken actions to protect important land near Yellowstone National Park from mining. New mining claims will be prohibited on approximately 30,000 acres of U.S. Forest land near the park’s northern entrance. The action will be in effect for two years while the Departments of Interior and Agriculture evaluate whether to withdraw the land from new mining claims for an additional 20 years. The process will require an environmental analysis to determine if the lands should be withdrawn. The process will include participation by the public, Indian tribes, environmental groups, industry, state and local government. Only Congress can legislative a permanent withdrawal. Jewell was joined in making the announcement by USDA Undersecretary Robert Bonnie, U.S. Senator Jon Tester, and Montana Governor Steve Bullock. “There are good places to mine for gold, but the doorstep of Yellowstone National Park is not one of them,” said Secretary Jewell. “As we celebrate 100 years of the National Park Service, today’s action helps ensure that Yellowstone’s watershed, wildlife and the tourism-based economy of local communities will not be threatened by the impacts of mineral development.” The proposed mineral withdrawal provides critical links to major corridors for wildlife migrating to and from Yellowstone. An exploration permit for the Emigrant tract is currently pending with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. The proposed withdrawal would not prohibit any other authorized uses on the lands. A 90-day public comment period on the proposed withdrawal will end February 20, 2017. The Custer-Gallatin National Forest will conduct a public meeting for the proposal on January 18, 2017 from 4-7 p.m. at the Shane Center in Livingston, Montana. During the public comment period, written comments about the proposed mineral withdrawal may be submitted to: Supervisor’s Office of the Custer-Gallatin National Forest, 10 East Babcock Ave., Bozeman, Montana.
