Draft EIS for Montanore Project released for public comment
Public hearing in Libby on April 16
by Kootenai National Forest
February 27, 2009
The Kootenai National Forest and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality are releasing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the Montanore Project for public comment. The Montanore Project is a proposed copper and silver underground mine located about 18 miles south of Libby near the Cabinet Mountains of northwestern Montana. Three mine alternatives and a No Action Alternative (No Mine) and four transmission line alternatives and a No Action Alternative (no transmission line) are analyzed in detail.
There will be a public meeting on the Draft EIS in Libby, Montana on Thursday, April 16, starting at 5 PM in the Ponderosa Room of Libby City Hall, 952 E Spruce Street. The public hearing with oral comment will start at 6:30 PM.
The full Draft EIS or individual volumes are available online at http://www.deq.mt.gov/eis.asp.
Comments must be postmarked or received 90 days from the date the Notice of Availability of the DEIS is published in the Federal Register. The Notice of Availability will be published on February 27, 2009 and the 90-day comment period will end on May 28, 2009.
Written comment can be submitted to Bobbie Lacklen, Kootenai National Forest, 31374 U.S. 2 West, Libby, MT 59923-3022, or by email to: r1_montanore@fs.fed.us, or to DEQ at: deqmontanoreEIS@mt.gov. Comments can also be faxed to (406) 283-7709, or hand-delivered to either the KNF or the DEQ between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
As outlined in 36 CFR 215.13, only those who submit timely comments will be accepted by the Forest Service as appellants following the release of the Montanore Project Final EIS and Record of Decision. Comments must be specific to the proposed activities and area being analyzed. Comments should include: (1) name, address, telephone number, and organization represented, if any; (2) title of the document on which the comment is being submitted; (3) specific facts and supporting reasons for the Responsible Official to consider; and (4) signatures.
For more information, contact Bobbie Lacklen, Kootenai National Forest, 31374 U.S. 2 West, Libby, MT 59923-3022, 406-283-7681, or Bonnie Lovelace, MT DEQ, PO Box 200901, Helena MT 59620, 406-444-1760.
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