Meeting lacked facts on Rock Creek Mine

If East Hope wanted false assurances about the Rock Creek mine, they got them Monday evening when their invited guests from the Forest Service and Montana DEQ came to Hope to give their presentations — this following on the heels of a tour of the Troy mine given by Revett Silver.

Upon hearing that the permitting agencies had been invited to present the public with the facts about the proposed mine, I called and asked the mayor of East Hope, Bud Moon, if I could come on behalf of the Rock Creek Alliance to present information, in the interest of providing the other side of the story to local citizens. He told me I was welcome to come and make a presentation. So, it was to my great surprise when I arrived that I was not asked to make a presentation, and rebuffed by the mayor when I asked to do so. Having heard the agency spin for years, I sat through part of the meeting feeling extremely frustrated before I finally walked out. I have to wonder why the mayor of East Hope was afraid to let me speak — after telling me I could. Perhaps he and the council have already made up their minds in favor of the mine?

The agency representatives at the meeting signed off on the decision to permit the mine. No one should be surprised that they will defend that decision, and tell the community whatever they have to in order to reassure us that our beautiful lake will be just fine. The fact is that the mine will send a stream of heavy metals and nutrient pollution into our lake for a long, long time. It doesn't matter how much the pollution gets diluted before it enters Idaho — the metals will settle into river sediments only to be re-suspended and delivered into the lake over time, and the nutrient pollution will fuel the growth of algae and noxious weeds like milfoil.

Why the elected officials of a town like East Hope, with its marinas, restaurants, and condos overlooking Lake Pend Oreille would think it has anything to gain from that pollution is beyond me.

If you want to learn the facts about the mine, contact the Rock Creek Alliance.

MARY MITCHELL

Executive Director

Rock Creek Alliance