Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — A Montana judge has blocked an exploratory gold mining project on private land in the mountains north of Yellowstone National Park.
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports that the ruling by Park County District Judge Brenda Gilbert invalidated the Montana Department of Environmental Quality's approval of Lucky Minerals Inc.'s plans to drill for gold in a narrow canyon.
The ruling concerned a Montana Environmental Policy Act provision preventing district judges from blocking projects based on faulty environmental analyses.
Gilbert sided with the Park County Environmental Council and Greater Yellowstone Coalition, which argued the provision violated the state constitution.
The environmental groups cheered the ruling, while Lucky Minerals CEO John Mears says the company likely will appeal.
There's already a 20-year ban on new mining claims on public land north of Yellowstone.
___
Information from: Bozeman Daily Chronicle, http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.