I-186 opponents discuss initiative

STOP I-186 Campaign members have been busy since mid June spreading their message about the proposed Initiative they say will have devastating impacts to both future and current mining operations as well as mining jobs in the Treasure State.

STOP I-186 Campaign Director Dave Galt and Montana Mining Association Executive Director Tammy Johnson have both played a large role is discussing the detrimental affects of next week’s ballot initiative.

In a recent interview with the Whitehall Ledger, both discussed the importance of keeping the balance of economic prosperity and environmental protection, something they believe Montana currently has. Galt said state Legislators have appropriately designed regulations since the mid 1990’s that accommodate very high water standards, at the same time allowing mines. He said this initiative will prevent the ability to get another mine permitted in Montana, especially a hard rock mine.

Galt said there are currently three hard rock mines in the permitting process and if I-186 passes and if they were not permitted, the state could forgo over 3,500 good jobs and a loss of $450,000 million to the economy.

“That’s what we lose with no new hard rock mines,” he said.

According to Galt, the overall mining industry in the state has a $2.7 billion economic impact along with 12,000 jobs -- something that could be at risk if current mines want to make amendments to their permits or expand.

Johnson said the Golden Sunlight Mine has been through the permitting process for their APEX project for quite some time, and processes like this are tenuous moving forward if I-186 were to pass.

The Stop I-186 campaign has been busy spreading their message at various fairs, the civic club circuit, and any opportunity they have had a chance to visit with Montana residents.

Galt and Johnson feel they have had pretty receptive audiences. Johnson said along with mining they have talked about how the initiative could affect other industries in Southwest Montana and feel they have done a pretty good job conveying the message.

“I think we have all sorts of reasons to be concerned about the future of our current mining operations here (Whitehall) and elsewhere in the state,” Johnson said.

Galt said the I-186 Initiative has been spearheaded by the Montana Trout Unlimited, who has partnered with such organizations such as American Rivers, Earthworks, and the Montana Environmental Information Center. Galt added all sorts of people not living in Montana have contributed up to $100,000 to the campaign. Johnson said 84 percent of their money is coming from out of state.

Galt said it is quite frankly sad when someone has a second or third home in Montana and make their livelihood somewhere else and are willing to put miners and others involved with the mining industries jobs at risk for their vacation spot.

Johnson said people will come here for vacation, love it, and want to keep it the same, but the state has grown its tourism and recreation economy along side the mining industry. Johnson added this isn’t a “we can have mining or recreation and tourism” it is instead an “and”. She objects to people insisting the only way to preserve their playground is to get rid of mining.

Galt said the mining industry provides a solid economic base with good paying jobs and I-186 puts this at risk when it doesn’t need to.

“The folks that are promoting this fail to recognize the law changes that have happened since 1993 when the last hard rock mine was permitted. We believe our environmental standards are the most stringent in the world and we have the balance between clean water, recreation, and a solid mining industry,” he said.

Johnson believes a successful state economic base includes the high tech industry, outdoors and recreation, tourism and the medical industry, but said mining is especially and critically important to rural areas, adding they are not going to be part of what you see economically in more urbanized areas. “The way to continue building the Montana economy is certainly not getting rid of the mining industry,” Johnson said.

As far as the Barrick Golden Sunlight Mine in Whitehall, Johnson said they have been an incredible asset to the community and are a great neighbor. She said they have stepped up for funding for the community from everything to helping with the watershed to the local swimming pool.

“We’ve always been lucky to have them here,” she said.