RENO, Nev. (AP) - Opponents of a Nevada mine project want a federal appeals court to override a Bureau of Land Management permit.
The Great Basin Resource Watch and Western Shoshone Defense Project argue the permit for Eureka Moly, LLC violates a water protection executive order issued by former President Calvin Coolidge, the Reno Gazette-Journal (https://on.rgj.com/2exqypP ) reported.
They also say the agency inadequately addressed possible impacts to air quality.
BLM attorney Robert Lundman said the decision was based on an environmental impact statement.
“The EIS here addresses each spring and shows data by spring and that they are not important,” Lundman said. “There are 31 springs in the area and we are talking about four.”
The Mt. Hope Molybdenum Mine would be located about 25 miles outside the small ranching community of Eureka.
The Elko Daily Free Press reports that a news release from the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada and John Hadder of Great Basin Resource Watch says the plan is opposed by Native Americans, at the county level and by local farmers and ranchers.
“We will present the Mt. Hope case, impacts of the industry’s use of water, and policy reforms that we intend to pursue that include changes to the Nevada Revised Statues,” according to the release.
Molybdenum has a variety of uses but mainly as an alloy to make steel, cast iron and other metals.
A Reno judge ruled against the plaintiffs in 2014.
The case lists the Bureau of Land Management and Eureka Moly, LLC as defendants.
___
Information from: Reno Gazette-Journal, https://www.rgj.com
Please read our comment policy before commenting.