Since 2005, the Cascade Forest Conservancy and our partners have been working to protect the Green River valley, near Mount St. Helens, from industrial-scale hard rock mining. A Canadian mining company, Ascot Resources Ltd., is seeking permits to conduct exploratory drilling for copper, gold, and molybdenum. Exploratory drilling to locate mineral deposits and determine commercial viability is an essential step in the development of a hardrock mine.
In 2005, General Moly Inc. (formerly Idaho General Mines, Inc.) submitted an application for a hardrock mining lease. Since then we have stopped multiple attempts by mining companies to mine near Mount St Helens. In late 2014 we defeated another attempt by Ascot Resources Limited to conduct exploratory drilling when a judge declared the prospecting permits illegal. Despite our recent legal win, Ascot Resources is once again seeking federal approval for mining exploration in the area.
In 2015 Ascot Resources began working with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to improve their permit application and prepare a modified Environmental Assessment (EA) for exploratory drilling. The Modified EA was released in January 2016, and the BLM and Forest Service closed the comment period for the Modified EA for the exploratory drilling permits on March 19, 2016. In August of 2017, the Forest Service released a decision consenting to exploratory drilling in the Green River valley. This is the first step toward allowing mining activities to begin in this beautiful and unique landscape.
Mining exploration and development could harm threatened salmon and steelhead populations in the Green River, interfere with recreation opportunities in the area, and threaten drinking water supplies for downstream communities. The unique, remote, and beautiful Green River valley was acquired by the Forest Service with money from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, money designated to promote conservation and recreation to the public. This will be the fourth time that the mining industry has tried to mine in this area. We have stopped them three times, and we plan to do so again. It is critical that we remain vigilant to protect the Green River valley and Mount St. Helens from future mining attempts. You can help!
- SIGN OUR PETITION
- THE GREEN RIVER IS #6 ON AMERICA’S MOST ENDANGERED RIVERS® 2017 LIST BY AMERICAN RIVERS. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LISTING AND TAKE ACTION HERE.
- DONATE TO ENSURE THE PRESERVATION OF MOUNT ST. HELENS
- VIEW A TIMELINE OF OUR LEGAL WINS, COMMENTS SUBMITTED, AND OTHER ACTIONS IN OPPOSITION TO THE MINE
Mount St. Helens: No Place for a Mine from Cascade Forest Conservancy on YouTube.
Recent news
- Our official comments from 19 conservation and recreation groups.
- Judge Hernandez’s court decision.
- Goat Mountain Modified Environmental Assessment.
- The Columbian article, “Sen. Cantwell urges Forest Service to say no to Mount St. Helens drilling”
- OPB article, “Cantwell Opposes Mining Near Mount St. Helens”
- See Sen. Cantwell speak out in opposition to use of public land for mining at 2:05:00
- Senator Murray’s letter requesting an extension to the comment period on the modified EA.
- Senator Cantwell’s letter to the Forest Service in opposition to the mine.
