FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Libby MT -- September 15, 2011—Promoting revitalization for Lincoln County MT, Alternative One (alternativeone.org) is a non-profit, Libby-based citizens group that supports sustainable economic growth, natural resource preservation and government accountability. The organization opposes the Montanore Mine and Transmission Line Project, asserting that the Spokane-based corporation is deceiving the public about the safety of the project and the mine’s potential economic benefit to the community.
In a well-orchestrated public relations campaign, Montanore Mine Corporation (MMC) projects the image of environmental responsibility, stating in its 2010 Annual Report that the Montanore project is “inherently conducive to protecting the environment.” However, the details tell a different story.
MMC proposes drilling beneath the protected Cabinet Mountain Wilderness, leaving a legacy of hollowed caverns and drained alpine lakes. MMC would seize and clear thousands of acres of Kootenai National Forest lands to make way for mine adits, massive tailings dams, and heavy machinery. By the corporation’s own admission, every waterway in the scenic Libby Creek area would be contaminated from mining activities. The list of possible contaminants includes arsenic, lead and mercury.
Installation of above-ground high voltage transmission lines to power the operation would expose residents and recreationalists to the documented health risks of electromagnetic fields, decimate threatened species habitats, and dramatically heighten the risk of devastating forest fires.
Alternative One also disputes MMC’s projections of the mine’s economic benefits to the community. The corporation boasts that the project would create hundreds of jobs for local residents, yet states in its own annual report that importing outside workers will be necessary. MMC’s dubious economic claims fail to take into account unreimbursed government expenses during permit application reviews and the high cost of wilderness destruction, lake and stream contamination, loss of biodiversity, and damage to human health associated with its mine proposal.
Contrary to MMC’s statements that mine construction is likely to commence in 2012, state and federal agency officials involved in the project believe that, even if the flaws in the proposal could be modified to meet government regulations, the mine would not begin operation until 2015 at the earliest.
The Montanore Mine proposal is similar in many aspects to the Revett Corp.’s Rock Creek Mine plan for neighboring Sanders County. Both projects plan to access the same ore deposit in the Cabinet Mountain Wilderness. Rock Creek Mine is currently in its second decade of seeking required permissions, while MMC began its quest for permits in 2005.
Montanore was originally permitted in 1993, the State of Montana revoked the permit due to water contamination from mining activities. The Environmental Protection Agency rates the MMC Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) published in 2009 “Environmentally Unsatisfactory” due to obvious conflicts with the federal Clean Water Act. A supplemental DEIS addressing these and other objections is due for release this month.
Libby Area Chamber of Commerce Risks Non-Profit Status with Pro-Montanore Campaign
Libby Area Chamber of Commerce Director Dusti Thompson stumps for Montanore.
Libby MT—September 22, 2011—A local citizens’ organization is calling for state and federal investigations into charges that the Libby Area Chamber of Commerce is violating provisions of its tax exempt status.
Lincoln County-based Alternative One asserts that the Chamber and Montanore Minerals Corp. (MMC) conspired to create a front group, known as the Montanore Positive Action Committee (MPAC), whose sole purpose is to promote the Montanore mine. The involvement of the Chamber with MPAC, according to Alternative One co-founder, Sam Haley Rose, “creates serious conflicts of interest which are at odds with the regulations governing their tax exempt status.”
In a September 22 letter to Montana Attorney General Steve Bullock, the citizens’ group asks the state to investigate MPAC’s “funding, activities and management, as well as the failure of its creators, MMC and the Libby Chamber, to meet Montana requirements for business registration and reporting for MPAC.”
In a separate letter to Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Douglas Shulman, Alternative One requests an IRS review of the Chamber’s activities in relation to their tax status.
The section of the IRS tax code which exempts Chambers of Commerce from federal tax payment states that no part of the organization’s net earnings can be used to benefit any private shareholder or individual business.
(Continued from left)
However, the lines between these regulations and activities in Libby are considerably blurred. MMC staff and MPAC volunteers refer inquiries about the Montanore Mine project to the office of the Chamber Executive Director, Dusti Thompson, at the Libby Visitors’ Center, which at present serves as the tacit MPAC headquarters as well.
Ms. Thompson has been instrumental in
organizing two pro-Montanore public rallies on Visitor Center grounds, one in
March of this year, and a second this month.
The grounds and entryway of the Visitors’ Center, including the electronic
signboard out front, trumpet pro-Montanore messages 24 hours per day, 7 days
per week.
MMC employee Jessica Conrad serves as the Chamber Treasurer. MMC recently made a large, well-publicized donation to the Kootenai River Rodeo, an annual event which benefits the Chamber financially.
In a cease and desist request sent to the Chamber Director earlier this week, Alternative One characterized the Libby Area Chamber as “a de facto branch of MMC, which places you [Ms. Thompson], the Chamber, its board and other staff members in obvious conflict with the federal tax code.”
Due to the refusal of Ms. Thompson to take measures to rectify the current tax code violations, Alternative One is seeking official state and federal investigations into the activities of the Libby Area Chamber of Commerce and MPAC.
Says Haley Rose, “Mines Management essentially bought the Libby Chamber to use as its private public relations firm. Wherever you look in Libby, you see pro-Montanore messages. But you won’t find any signs like, ‘Shoes and Socks Rocks,’ or ‘We Support Helen’s Huckleberries, Do You?,’ even though these two Libby businesses employ more local workers than MMC.”
Alternative One is working for sustainable economic growth in Lincoln County, and recognizes the need for strong Chambers of Commerce to promote economic development and tourism.
“The Chamber should free itself from MMC’s insidious grip and start working for all area businesses,” says Haley Rose.
Freedom of speech is protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
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Alternative One is the voice of responsible Northwest Montanans who have
a creative vision for the future. We advocate accountable leadership
in government, sustainable economic growth, and preservation of the
region's natural resources for the benefit of future generations.
EPA Rates Montanore Mine Proposal Environmentally Objectionable, Silo Breaker, January 29, 2012
EPA Not Signing Off on Proposed Montanore Mine, The Missoulian, January 17, 2011
A Second Mine Proposal Threatens the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness by Mary Costello, The River Journal, December 27, 2011
Montanore Mine Corporation Hopes to Change the Face of the Wilderness, The Open Press, December 10, 2011
Claim Jumping, Trespass Allegations May Scuttle Montanore Project Says Alternative One, The Open Press, November 28, 2011
Mine Proposal Destructive for Montana, The Missoulian, November 17, 2011
"Mines Management Montanore Mine Hits Another Permitting Roadblock", Mining Reporter, November 8, 2011
"Alternative One Questions Montanore Mine Proposal," KLCB-KTNY Radio, October 26, 2011
"Montanore Mine Promises to Consume and Pollute Water," The Missoulian, October 14, 2011
"Writer Compares Montanore Official's Action to Scene from the Wizard" Western News, October 6, 2011
"Montanore Mine Has Support in Libby" NBC Montana, September 28, 2011 (Look in "Video" section on page)
"About 200 People Attend the MPAC Rally" Western News, September 30, 2011
"Montanore Mine Clears 'Major' Hurdle" Flathead Beacon, September 27, 2011
"Montanore DEIS Delayed" LibbyMT.com, September 21, 2011
Montana News Links, September 29, 2011
"Montanore Line Backers Rally in Libby" KAJ18 News, September 29, 2011
Montanore Mine: Both Sides of the Story (Video) KPAX TV, September 29, 2011
