Fort Belknap Indian Community meets with BLM to discuss mining threat

The Fort Belknap Indian Community in Montana issued a press release on April 30th. They met with the top Bureau of Land Management Officials to discuss the threat of new mining to reclamation.

FBIC President Andrew Werk Jr. and the Fort Belknap Indian Community Council met with officials from the BLM. The topic of discussion was concern about the planned gold exploration at the former Zortman and Landusky gold mines. President Werk had a very positive and helpful discussion with BLM. Nada Culver, Deputy Director of Policy and Programs, and Danna Jackson, Counsel to the Director exchanged information with President Werk.

The President shared the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes’ alarm about the company proposing to do the exploration, Blue Arc, LLC. The company failed to register with the Secretary of State or secure authorization in Montana. Blue Arc has also failed to maintain its corporate registration in Minnesota, according to information available on the internet.

President Werk said, “It is extremely troubling. Steps toward renewed mining are being approved when this company cannot be held accountable in Montana. It has no registered agent. It should not be doing business here at all.” With lacking registration and no registered agent in Montana, it would be difficult to take Blue Arc to court. This would be concerning if it causes further pollution or damages to reclamation already completed to the mines.

Apparently, the Montana DEQ approved Blue Arc’s proposed exploration plans on February 1, 2021, without proper verification. Blue Arc did not verify its registration and authorization to transact business in Montana. The FBIC and two environmental organizations, the Montana Environmental Information Center and Earthworks, filed suit against DEQ and Blue Arc on April 1, 2021. The grounds for the suit were that DEQ failed to consult with the Tribes as required and that the Environmental Assessment was inadequate and flawed. Earth Justice represents the two parties.

“We are really dismayed that this could occur after the painful history of the Pegasus Gold Company. They left Montana taxpayers and BLM to clean up the mess,” said Fort Belknap Councilman Warren Morin. “Anyone mining in Montana must abide by the law and must be fully accountable for any further harm.”

President Werk added, “Blue Arc has not shown that it is willing to comply with Montana law, and this could have very serious consequences for the Tribes including further water pollution and permanent environmental damage.”

“It’s extremely reckless for the State of Montana to issue a mining corporation an exploration permit that is right smack dab in the middle of a place where the Fort Belknap Indian Community and the federal government have put an incredible amount of time and money in trying to reclaim from past mining,” said Derf Johnson, staff attorney with the Montana Environmental Information Center, who attended the meeting.

“We are deeply concerned. Blue Arc could damage the extremely costly reclamation work that’s been completed at the former mine site,” said Bonnie Gestring, Northwest Program Director for Earthworks. Bonnie also participated in the meeting. We’ve spent “tens of millions of public dollars to fix the problems left by the last mining company. We don’t want to see that work undone.”

The Fort Belknap Indian Community looks forward to further consultation with BLM. It is also eager to monitor the developments at the former Zortman and Landusky mines.

For more information contact President Andy Werk Jr., (406) 390-2650, andy.werk@ftbelknap.org, or Camille Stein, Fort Belknap Public Relations, (406) 399-1748, camille.stein@ftbelknap.org