The Zortman Landusky mines have cost Montana $30 million in clean-up costs, and devastated the land and water in the Little Rocky Mountains. |
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Dear John, Bad news! Last month, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) dropped its enforcement of the corporate “bad actor” law against Hecla Mining Co. and its CEO, Phillips S. Baker. The “bad actor” law was enacted in 2001 to prevent mining executives from getting a new permit to mine in Montana if they’ve failed to clean-up their past messes. Baker was a senior executive at Pegasus Gold when it abandoned three highly toxic cyanide-leach gold mines. The Zortman-Landusky mines alone have cost the State of Montana more than $30 million in clean-up costs and devastated land and water in the Little Rocky Mountains. Now, Baker has returned to Montana as the CEO of Hecla, proposing two new mines that severely threaten water and wildlife in northwest Montana. Earthworks and our conservation allies are challenging DEQ’s decision to ignore the law. And we need your help! Please tell Governor Gianforte to enforce Montana Law against corporate bad actors! |
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Thank you,  Bonnie Gestring, Northwest Program Director, Earthworks |
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