A coalition of environmental groups sued the Trump administration on Tuesday for approving a silver and copper exploration project in northwestern Montana’s Cabinet Mountains.
Earthjustice on behalf of Earthworks and local resource groups sued the Forest Service and Fish and Wildlife Service in the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana Missoula Division for approving Montanore Minerals Corp.’s Libby exploration project last fall.
The agencies’ analysis and ultimate approvals were “unlawful and arbitrary,” violated federal law and threaten surface waters in the federally designated Cabinet Mountains Wilderness, the groups say. That area also provides critical habitat to bull trout and grizzly bears, species that are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, according to the lawsuit.
“The Trump administration approved the project in October without completing the required Environmental Impact Statement and wrongly concluded that the mine would not impact ESA-protected bull trout and grizzly bears,” the groups said in a statement.
