Water rights, state law and other water-related issues took center stage in a hearing Thursday over whether Missoula County should grant a variance to allow a gravel pit south of Lolo room to expand in the years ahead.
Environmentalists warn that a new Southern Nevada gold rush is threatening groundwater resources in the Oasis Valley where the critically endangered Amargosa toads live.
A coalition of environmental organizations opposed to mining in the Smith River watershed delivered a petition signed by about 10,000 people to the U.S. Forest Service urging it to withdraw mineral leases granted to a mining company.
Nevada’s mining industry may soon get a reprieve after the Republican-controlled U.S. House passed industry-friendly legislation Wednesday, undoing a consequential court decision that restricted mining companies’ use of federal lands.
Despite a growing interest in lithium mining, Nevada has limited understanding of the precise location of the highly sought mineral deposits or how exploration may impact groundwater.
The Montana Supreme Court will decide whether a mining company can suck millions of gallons of water out of the ground and keep it for months without having to obtain a water-right permit.