Environment Group Central Idaho Gold Mine challenges the approval of the Gold Mine, still a permit is needed

A coalition of environmental groups sued the Trump administration this week to try to thwart the approval of a planned gold and antimony Mine Stebanite Gold Project in Central Idaho.

Open-Pit Mine Project, owned by Perpetua Resources, a Canadian mining company with offices in Idaho, received the US One Service approval on the Wanning days of the Biden administration last month. While the project is still waiting on a federal discharge permit and many state environmental permits, the full scale excavation is scheduled to begin in 2028.

Six conservation groups, including the Idaho Conservation League and the Center for Biological Diversity, on Tuesday sued the US district court that the federal officials failed to follow the laws protecting the environment.

Environmentalists are concerned that the project, which will use toxic chemicals to remove gold, can damage sensitive ecosystems and decreasing salmon population without returning to the decreasing salmon population near the forest range without any return.

The decades -old mines have been located about 40 miles from the macacol at the site of the decades -old mines that have been tested to the toxins in the salmon river watershed for years, the region has been considered for the first federal superfund designation.

“The Stebanite Gold Project is high-risk for South Fork Salmon Riverwatters, equivalent to open-horses surgery, and watershed will be as a result, not better, not better,” John Robisson, Public Land and Wildlife Director. Idaho Conservation League said in an email statement.

The employed mine is also located within the traditional fishing and hunting grounds of the Nez Paras tribe, which is guaranteed under long -lasting treaty rights with the US, although this week is not included in the case filed, the tribe has Similar environmental concerns are there and Perpetua has already been sued on the project. ,

His tribal chair, Shannon Wheeler, said, “These are the treaty sources that are central for the identity, culture and welfare of Nimipu, Naz has accepted people.” Forest service for its approval of the mine. “Tribes will take all necessary steps to protect their treaty rights and life sources.”

Perpetua estimates that the mine has 4.8 million ounces of gold, which costs around $ 13 billion. It also includes about 148 million pounds of antimony, which is an important mineral important for US defense and clean-energy technologies.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the company’s controlled shareholder is billionaire hedge fund manager John Pauson, who was on a shortlist to become Treasury Secretary for Trump’s second term.

Already, Perpetua has spent $ 400 million on developing the project, with company officials reported earlier this month. Of that, more than $ 17 million, required by the environmental protection agency, went towards some initial cleaning of the site. Perpetua has promised to restore streams in Mountain Valley, as its mining work ends.

Company spokesperson Marti Botan said in an email, “Stebanite Gold Project has done a rigorous, science-based environmental review during eight years, and we are convinced in the ability to protect American forest service (decision).” Idaho Statesman.

“Stebanite Gold Project is important for our national security and providing hundreds of family-waters jobs, restoring the residence, re-adding fish to your original sponing ground, cleaning heritage contamination, cleaning water quality And only domestic mining sources are ready to install.

The company specifically refused to respond to the concerns of the Nees Purses Tribe.

In dozens of executive orders, President Donald Trump has issued since assuming office in January, he has declared more than 600 permits “National Emergency” to justify fast-tracking. The list features the outstanding Federal Discharge Permit from the US Army Corps of Engineers for Stebnite Gold Mine.

According to the US Energy Information Administration, environmental groups condemned Trump’s emergency announcement, which is at record levels of domestic energy production.

In a news release, the director of law and policy in the David Bookbind Environmental Integrity Project said in a news release, saying that the move was illegal.

Trump’s order asks for high production of crude oil, natural gas, uranium and coal – but renewable sources such as wind and solar energy were not mentioned.

The lawsuit against the Stibnite project asks the Idaho of the US District Court to invalve its federal approval for the mine and prevent it from moving forward. The other environmental groups involved are Save the South Fork Salman, Idaho River United, Earthworks and American River.

“The lawsuit is about the protection of the South Kanta Saman River, which protects the watershed from a toxic gold mine, which will destroy the significant habitat for salmon and bull trouts with this breathtaking beautiful place,” Center For For Biological Diversity, senior advocate Mark Fink said. News release.

“Agencies need to focus on cleaning of toxic mining pollution which is already here, not things worse than green light decades.”

2025 The Idaho Statesman. Distributed by Tribune Material Agency, LLC.