smith river Archives - Montana Environmental Information Center - MEIC https://meic.org/tag/smith-river/ Clean and healthful. It's your right, our mission. Mon, 14 Apr 2025 23:01:07 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://meic.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/cropped-MEIC_whitesmall-32x32.png smith river Archives - Montana Environmental Information Center - MEIC https://meic.org/tag/smith-river/ 32 32 Smith River Mine: A Difficult Loss at the Montana Supreme Court https://meic.org/smith-river-mine-a-difficult-loss-at-the-montana-supreme-court/ Sun, 30 Mar 2025 14:14:25 +0000 https://meic.org/?p=38177 By Katy Spence In early January, the Montana Supreme Court upheld the water-use permit granted by the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation to Sandfire Resources, which plans to pump and impound large volumes of groundwater at its proposed Black Butte Copper Mine, in Meagher County. This is an extremely difficult loss for MEIC, Earthworks, …

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]]> Montana Businesses Support a Smith River Mineral Withdrawal; Does Yours? https://meic.org/montana-businesses-support-a-smith-river-mineral-withdrawal-does-yours/ Tue, 15 Oct 2024 14:09:50 +0000 https://meic.org/?p=36374 By Derf Johnson A number of Montana businesses are speaking up in defense of the Smith River and supporting a mineral withdrawal of the federal lands surrounding the Smith River watershed. Their message? The current economy that surrounds the Smith River is robust and healthy, and it should not be compromised. Indeed, the recreation economy …

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]]> An Opportunity to Protect the Smith https://meic.org/an-opportunity-to-protect-the-smith/ Mon, 01 Jul 2024 14:13:53 +0000 https://meic.org/?p=35623 By Derf Johnson For over a decade, MEIC and our partners have engaged in a prolonged fight to prevent the Smith River Mine (aka the Black Butte Copper Mine) from ever moving forward and threatening the water quality and natural values of the Smith River watershed. From courtrooms to legislative committee meetings to public hearings, …

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]]> Our Decisions Today Can Create a Better Tomorrow https://meic.org/our-decisions-today-can-create-a-better-tomorrow/ Mon, 01 Jul 2024 14:00:58 +0000 https://meic.org/?p=35683 By Cari Kimball Happy Summer, friends! I hope you’re finding ways to enjoy these long daylight hours. Isn’t July in Montana dreamy?  A couple weekends ago, my family joined friends for a camping trip in the Big Belt mountains. We watched our kids collect lichen-covered sticks and admired fairy slipper orchids, later spotting a red-naped …

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]]> Hope Springs Early and Often https://meic.org/hope-springs-early-and-often/ Fri, 29 Mar 2024 14:00:14 +0000 https://meic.org/?p=34706 by Cari Kimball As Montana enters something resembling spring, I’m feeling energized by the lengthening daylight hours and looking forward to those first glimpses of phlox and yellow bells that are bound to start popping up soon. Speaking of hope and renewal, I am also continually inspired by the dedication and passion of our community. …

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]]> A Major Victory for the Smith River https://meic.org/a-major-victory-for-the-smith-river/ Sun, 05 Jun 2022 15:16:41 +0000 https://meic.org/?p=29810 By Derf Johnson After almost a decade of advocacy by our members, supporters, and partners, we’ve achieved an incredibly important milestone in the fight to protect the Smith River from a poorly planned copper mine. This past April, a Montana District Court judge ruled that the permit issued by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality …

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]]> Smith River one step closer to protections from Black Butte Copper Mine after court ruling https://meic.org/smith-river-closer-to-protections-from-black-butte-mine-court-ruling/ Mon, 11 Apr 2022 18:36:50 +0000 https://meic.org/?p=28309 The following is a press release from the Montana Environmental Information Center: Meagher County, MT – Montana’s Smith River moves closer toward protection from foreign-owned Sandfire Resources’ (SFR.V) proposed 1,888-acre Black Butte Copper Mine following a ruling in Montana district court. The court found that the state’s review of the mine did not adequately address serious concerns over the …

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]]> Derf Johnson, Scott Bosse, David Brooks: Why we don’t want a mine on the Smith: an open letter to Rob Scargill https://meic.org/guest-opinion-derf-johnson-mine-smith/ Wed, 06 Apr 2022 17:44:43 +0000 https://meic.org/?p=28340 By Derf Johnson, Scott Bosse and David Brooks, Billings Gazette Something doesn’t sit right with an Australian CEO living in Canada telling Montanans how to best use our land and manage our resources. Yet, that’s just what Rob Scargill, CEO of Australian company Sandfire Resources, did in a recent op-ed in the Great Falls Tribune. …

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]]> Two Smiths in a Day https://meic.org/two-smiths-in-a-day/ Sat, 05 Mar 2022 15:58:12 +0000 https://meic.org/?p=29860 By Steve Gillbert Steve Gilbert on the Missouri River. In honor of Steve’s final term as an MEIC board member, we’re reprinting a story he shared in 2015 in our Smith River Defender newsletter. Montana’s Smith River is beautiful from head to toe, from its Belt, Little Belt, and Castle Mountains origins to its confluence …

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]]> Protect and enhance Montana’s economy: Don’t mine the headwaters of the Smith (Op-ed) https://meic.org/protect-and-enhance-montanas-economy-dont-mine-the-headwaters-of-the-smith-op-ed/ Fri, 13 Aug 2021 15:26:38 +0000 https://meic.org/?p=20836 By William S. Broadbent, Sr. While not of the gun-slinging Wild West lore, there is a battle being waged in Montana. The future of the Smith River and the health of the surrounding water quality and habitat is at stake. If Montanans lose, the casualty will be the natural resources that set Montana apart. In …

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