THE SOURCE
DEADLINE APPROACHING TO STOP MINE NEXT TO YELLOWSTONE
Greater Yellowstone is a place of exceptional natural splendor and profound cultural and ecological importance. At more than 20 million acres, the region is defined by its two magnificent national parks — Yellowstone and Grand Teton — and the sprawling network of public and private lands that surround them.
Visitors from around the globe are drawn to the region to experience its unique and striking landscape rich with wildlife, rugged alpine peaks, sweeping valleys, and the largest concentration of geothermal features in the world. The same forces that made the area so geologically spectacular also created deposits of precious metals – like gold – the extraction of which has long posed an existential threat to the integrity of the ecosystem.
When we learned about a proposed gold mine on the very border of Yellowstone
National Park, we knew we had to do everything we could to stop it.
The mine site is situated along the northern edge of the park on Crevice Mountain, which rises some 3,000 feet above the Yellowstone River just east of Gardiner, Montana. The area provides vital habitat for grizzly bears; is a critical migration corridor for elk, mule deer, and bighorn sheep; and is one of the few designated places outside the park where Yellowstone bison are allowed to roam. The photo above is from a camera trap set near the mine site. This photo and others of cougars, wolves, elk, and many other species demonstrate the critical importance of protecting Crevice Mountain from a destructive gold mine.
We are now just under two months from our deadline to buy out the mining company and stop the mine and any future
mining proposals, forever. We have made significant progress with $4.7 million raised or pledged toward our $6.25 million goal. If you have already contributed, thank you. From now until October 1, we will be working tirelessly to reach our goal.
Please track our progress and share the news with others who might be interested in supporting this legacy project. Together, we will prove Yellowstone is more valuable than gold. Visit the campaign webpage:
greateryellowstone.org/yellowstone-mine
GYC’S LEGACY OF STOPPING TOXIC MINES
There is no place like Greater Yellowstone. The region’s jagged peaks, clear waters, and sweeping lands were shaped by dynamic forces that continue to effect change on the landscape. The unique geology and ecology of Yellowstone sustains iconic wildlife and captivates visitors from across the world. It also draws the attention of mining companies looking to profit from that unique geology.
Mineral extraction goes hand in hand with the development of the West and displacement of Native American Tribes. When the General Mining Act was signed into law on May 10, 1872, it created a system of staking mining claims on public lands, encouraging prospectors to develop economically valuable minerals such as gold, silver, and copper across the western United States.
At the time, mining was a major driver for western expansion, with minimal regulation or consideration for environmental impacts. Unfortunately, mining has left a toxic legacy in many areas of the West, including Greater Yellowstone. We know today that mining can pose major risks to water quality, fisheries, and wildlife. Historic mining near Cooke City, Montana poisoned Soda Butte Creek, a stream running in Yellowstone National Park, and took decades and millions of dollars to restore.
Since our early days, GYC has used a wide range of tools to oppose damaging
mining operations. It takes creative and innovative approaches, along with broad community support, to protect precious lands and waters from mining. Especially given the archaic laws passed over 150 years ago that tilt the scales so heavily in favor of mining.
In 1996, we successfully stopped the New World Mine from dumping toxic pollution into the northeast corner of Yellowstone National Park. After years of dogged advocacy against the mine, GYC eventually helped negotiate a deal between the mining company and federal government to halt the mine. The federal government agreed to a $42.5 million buyout, plus another $22.5 million to clean up decades of mining activity and pollution. It was an enormous victory that put GYC on the map, and one of our staff members on the cover of Time Magazine!
In 2019, GYC and our terrific local partners and allies successfully helped pass the Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act, forever protecting 30,370 acres of public land from mining north of Yellowstone.
Today, we are working to stop two separate, active mining proposals.
First, this report covers our work to buy out Crevice Mining Group, LLC and stop a gold mine from being developed on the very boundary of Yellowstone near Gardiner, Montana. We are also battling another mining proposal west of the park. GYC, with
our partners at the Idaho Conservation League and Advocates for the West, are working to stop the Kilgore Gold Exploration Project in the foothills of the Centennial Mountains in eastern Idaho. The mine threatens critical habitat for elk, a key connectivity corridor for grizzlies, clean water for prized Yellowstone cutthroat trout, and the region’s drinking and agricultural water. After an initial victory in court to halt the project, we are now waiting for a second ruling from an Idaho judge. Stay tuned.
With your support, GYC continues to do all it can to safeguard Greater Yellowstone from destructive mining proposals. THANK YOU.
GYC staff on Crevice Mountain near the proposed mine site, overlooking Yellowstone National Park. (Photo: Bill Campbell) Senior Montana Conservation Associate Joe Josephson leads our work to stop mining on the northern border of Yellowstone National Park, which has required an enormous amount of dedication and creative solutions over the past nine years. Senior Idaho Conservation Associate Allison Michalski leads our work to stop the Kilgore Gold Exploration Project. Her commitment, skills, and fortitude have helped us stall this project since 2019. Joe Allison
