Daines applauds U.S. Forest Service’s approval of Montanore Mining Project

U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) recently celebrated the U.S. Forest Service’s approval of the Montanore Project, a mining endeavour expected to create jobs and enhance the economy of Lincoln County, Montana.

“The Forest Service’s long-overdue approval is welcome news for Lincoln County and an important step forward in getting this job-creating project across the finish line,” Daines said. “The Montanore Project will create hundreds of much-needed jobs and provide significant economic benefits and tax revenue to communities across northwestern Montana.”

The announcement from the Forest Service comes after the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) was completed last month after more than a decade of work. While the federal agency has fully approved the project, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Montana Gov. Steve Bullock have only issued partial approval, earning disapproval from Daines who had requested expeditious and unequivocal approval upon issuance of the FEIS.

“I am disappointed that Gov. Bullock and Montana DEQ have only issued a phased approval of the Montanore project and urge them to work with stakeholders toward a full approval so that this job-creating project can move forward without further delay,” Daines said.