For immediate release: June 25, 2026
Media Contacts:
Derf Johnson, MEIC | djohnson@meic.org | 406-443-2520
Andrew Gorder, CFC, andrew@clarkfork.org
Additional Community Contact:
Jerry O’Connell, Big Blackfoot Riverkeeper, joconnell5613@gmail.com
Conservation groups challenge Montana DEQ’s violation of rights to know and participate in permitting process around Blackfoot River gold mine
HELENA – Yesterday, MEIC and Clark Fork Coalition filed a legal challenge against the Montana Department of Environmental Quality for violating Montanans’ right to know and participate in the environmental assessment process for a proposed gold mine on the headwaters of the Blackfoot River. On June 3, DEQ accepted the bond and then issued an Approval to Proceed to Sentinel Metals on June 5, without making the original permit and other associated documents publicly available, despite repeated requests from the organizations for the information. The underlying exploration permit may be critical to determining the efficacy and legality of the proposed amendment, and the conservation groups requested the information to be better informed in preparing comments.
“In Montana, we are guaranteed a fundamental right to participate in governmental decision-making, including permits for hardrock mines. However, this isn’t simply a paper exercise, and the government also has a duty to assure that our opportunity to participate is meaningful,” said Derf Johnson, Deputy Director of the Montana Environmental Information Center. “If there are documents that are critical to the decision being made by the government, then the public needs to have those in advance. That’s where DEQ dropped the ball here.”
Nearly a month after approving the amendment and environmental assessment, DEQ shared the requested documents – far too late to inform public comment. In late March, DEQ even denied a request by the conservation groups to extend the comment period so that they could review the requested information in advance of the deadline for comments. The comment period on the environmental assessment – the only opportunity for the public to meaningfully engage in the process – has passed. Due to the Blackfoot River’s cultural significance and vital recreational opportunities, the conservation groups believe that the requested information was critically necessary for the public to be adequately informed and to meaningfully comment about the potential and cumulative impacts of the proposed gold mine.
Sentinel Metals, an Australian company, is pursuing an exploration permit east of Lincoln, on a site that would potentially impact Hogum Creek to the east and Seven-Up-Pete-Creek to the south, both of which flow directly into the Blackfoot River. The Mike Horse Mine site is just upstream, which is a defunct gold mine that contaminated the Blackfoot River until an extensive reclamation project took place that included the removal of over 800,000 tons of mining waste and the installation of a water treatment plant that collects and treats 26 million gallons of acid mine drainage annually.
Gold mining is one of the most destructive mining activities in the world, causing long-term environmental degradation, significant water contamination from toxics, and severe health issues for workers and nearby communities. More than 90% of mined gold is used for gold bars and jewelry. Due to the exceptional fishery, outdoor recreation opportunities, and cultural significance of the Blackfoot River, conservation groups pushed for a more comprehensive environmental impact statement, as well as gathering all available materials to inform public comment. In fact, the site of Sentinel Metals’ proposed exploration has been previously drilled more than 400 times. Based upon aerial images, the project site is heavily denuded due to drilling, with the removal of significant vegetation and the construction of a number of roads and well pads.
“Like many of our rivers in the Clark Fork watershed, the Blackfoot bears the scars of legacy mining activity, but after decades of effort, the river and its fishery are on the mend,” said Andrew Gorder, Legal Director of the Clark Fork Coalition. “Sufficient water supplies and high water quality are crucial to supporting the agricultural and recreational economies that support the Blackfoot Valley. Any new threat to the Blackfoot should be carefully scrutinized by our regulatory agencies, and the public must be fully informed in order to participate in the review process.”
The lawsuit was filed in Montana District Court in Helena. The conservation organizations MEIC and Clark Fork Coalition are represented by Andrew Gorder and Kim Wilson of the law firm Morrison, Sherwood, Wilson, & Deola.
Timeline:
On March 9, MEIC and the Clark Fork Coalition filed an information request with DEQ seeking a variety of materials regarding Sentinel Metals’ proposed gold mine at the headwaters of the Blackfoot River. This request included underlying permits, correspondence, the application, and internal DEQ documents. DEQ fulfilled the information request on June 22, after the amendment and EA were approved.
On March 20, DEQ announced an 18-day comment period on a Draft EA. Despite groups’ requests for an extension of the comment period, DEQ declined to extend the comment period by 30 days or provide the request materials in time to inform public comment. DEQ did extend the comment period by seven days, ending on April 13, without providing the requested materials.
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