DEQ Will Present on the Proposed Exploration Project in Silver Bow County at Upcoming EPA Butte Community Discussion
HELENA—The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will present during the upcoming August EPA Butte Monthly Community Discussion on the draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for a proposed exploration project near Walkerville, Mont. in Silver Bow County. The draft EA is specific to a new exploration project proposed by Butte Blackjack Operating, LLC. DEQ is currently seeking public comment on the draft EA until Sept. 1.
DEQ’s presentation during the EPA Butte Monthly Community Discussion on Monday, Aug. 30 at 6 p.m. will provide an overview of the proposed project and answer questions.
What: A remote presentation on the proposed exploration project at the EPA Butte Monthly Community Discussion
When: Monday, Aug. 30 at 6 p.m.
Where: The EPA holds the meeting virtually via Microsoft Teams. Access the meeting online at: Click here to join the meeting or by phone at: 406-247-0520 and enter Phone Conference ID: 477 873 480#. If you do not have internet access and would like to join online, the Montana Tech Library has computers available for public use based on availability. If you are calling by phone and would like to follow along with the presentation, the presentation slides will be posted at the public comment link below 24 hours prior to the meeting.
DEQ received an application for an exploration license from Butte Blackjack Operating, LLC on June 15, 2021, to drill 35 exploration holes from 10 drill pads, and repair the Chief Joseph portal in order to extract 500 tons of material for metallurgical testing. The entire proposed project would be located on private land and disturb about 3.44 acres. In addition to the drilling and underground activities, Butte Blackjack Operating, LLC would use an existing road and overland travel to access the drill sites and construct 225 feet of new road between the Chief Joseph portal and the 21,000-cubic-yard waste rock pile. All disturbances would be reclaimed. An exploration license is limited to exploration projects and is not an operating permit to mine.
DEQ has recently received updates to the proposal from Butte Blackjack Operating, LLC that lowers the number of exploration holes from 37 to 35 and the number of drill pads from 12 to 10. An updated map reflecting these changes has also been submitted to DEQ. Changes will be incorporated into the EA accordingly and the updated submitted documents have been added to the DEQ website.
DEQ prepared a draft EA to analyze potential impacts from the proposed project and published the draft for public review and comment on July 21, 2021. To submit public comment or view the document, including the updated submitted documents, please visit the DEQ website at: https://deq.mt.gov/public/publiccomment
The EA is not a decision document and is a disclosure of the potential impacts from the project. If a proposed project meets the requirements of 82-4-332, Montana Code Annotated, DEQ must issue the exploration license.Tags: News, Press Release and Hard Rock