Lawsuit: Boise Forest prematurely OK’d Burntlog work
An approval that allows Perpetua Resources to begin preliminary work on a new roadway to the company’s proposed Stibnite mine was granted prematurely, according to a lawsuit filed in United States District Court.The lawsuit, filed last month by Save the South Fork Salmon River, Idaho Rivers United, and the Idaho Conservation League, seeks to overturn an approval that allows Perpetua to conduct drilling and geological studies for its proposed Burntlog Route.The approval was granted by the Boise National Forest, which began reviewing the project scope in 2020 and on March 1 found it is unlikely to cause significant environmental harm due to its limited size and scope.The lawsuit, however, says the approval was premature because the Payette National Forest, the lead permitting agency for Perpetua’s proposed gold and antimony mine year Yellow Pine, has not yet issued a decision on Perpetua’s proposed mining plan.“Because the Burntlog Route has not yet been approved—and might never be approved—for construction and use as part of Perpetua’s proposed mine, the Forest Service has authorized Perpetua to engage in unnecessary and needlessly destructive activities,” the complaint said.The Boise Forest’s review process included a biological evaluation of the project zone, a public comment period in 2020, and consultation with the U.S.
